The Role of Psyhcolinguistics in Analyzing a Language Acquisition, Comprehension, and Production

Psycholinguistics has a role in language learning and composition. In addition, psycholinguistics explains the acquisition, production, understanding, and loss of language (Steinberg & Sciarini, 2013). In-depth acquisition and lost language are generated over a predetermined or diachronic period of time (Steinberg & Sciarini, 2013). Meanwhile, production and understanding will pass through a synchronic or specific period (Chowdhury, 2003). They will acquire the language through the language teaching process, which is carried out directly or indirectly. Generally,  children will be more creative in their use. Therefore, this article will answer how psycholinguistics builds a bedrock to persuade a successful delivery that language learning should be preserved.  This article will address four main topics: a) language acquisition, b) language comprehension,  c) language production, and d) psycholinguistics in language teaching. Thus, psycholinguistic theories are beneficial for language teaching in education.

Language acquisition 

In language acquisition, psycholinguistics provides a basic human understanding of language according to its structure and process. Psycholinguistics is a  study that focuses on human achievement in acquiring language since infancy or as newborns (Kess, 1992). It has to do with someone who will acquire and produce language in the brain. This acquisition is based on appropriate language teaching and results in a person's speed at mastering the first or second language. 

Teaching science related to language will play a significant role in the presence of language in life. Language is a person's way of communicating or conveying messages.  Therefore, psycholinguistics in language acquisition shows the existence of communicators  (who) -deliver messages (say what) -through the media (in which channel) -society (to whom), and effects (with what effect) (Laswell, 1948).  

Stern (1924) stated that there are several stages of individuals acquiring language. The theory developed by Stern provides clarity on how a person can acquire their first language. This theory also explains several aspects that need to be considered by individuals who will teach language to first-language acquirers or infants. In theory, Stern provides four fundamental indicators of language acquisition. The first stage is the preliminary (first year), starting at 0–1 year. Second, the first period starts at 1–1.5 years. Third, the second period starts at 1.5–2 years. Fourth, the third period starts at 2–2.5 years. The fifth period is the fourth period, which starts at 2.5–6 years, and so on.

Furthermore, in every language acquisition process, several aspects support a person in achieving their first language target. These aspects cover every development in language acquisition. In the preliminary stage (first year), there are several experts such as Stern (1924),  Scovel (1999), Clark (2009), and Crystal (2010) who claim that in this stage, babies can do:  babbling, crying, cooing, and gooing. 

Then, the first period. Stern stated that this phase is a child's ability to produce words  such as: [ga], [ba], [da], [ma], and [na]. Furthermore, the child will get small sounds with their own meaning, which are then passed on through the ideas in sentences. However, children still cannot understand grammar comprehensively.

Next is the second period. Stren gives a picture that babies will receive at this time:  children will learn to combine words. Generally, children realize that every object or thing has a  name. Therefore, vocabulary acquisition has three stages: 

a. Substance 

The substance is an enhancement of a noun. 

b. Action 

Action means an increase in verb 

c. Relations and distinction 

It is meant to increase the number of qualifying and relational words (Ingram & David, 1989). 

Third period. Stern makes a classification that children can be more comprehensive in their language development: a) Sentences are better when they include terms for structural models relationships, such as "subject and object.", b) The acquisition of intonations starts and can take years to complete ., c) Syntax is the flexible connecting of words together in which the order of the words can change., and d) The number of questions increases. And finally, there is the fourth period. 

This stage will; 1) Hierarchical structure and the acquisition of embedded or subordinate sentences replace the juxtaposition of words in syntax., 2) Some grammatical morphemes are currently being acquired., and 3) Time and causality are now among the child's concerns. However, a more in-depth study of children during the fourth period. Suppose a 3-year-old child does not yet have his own words such as "baba," "Mama," "Papa," "Bubu," and others. Usually, children are easier to speak with words that have the letter "M" because "M" is the easiest letter to pronounce. That is, the child has problems in acquiring language. The preliminary stage triggers problems like this. To solve this problem, parents must talk to the baby from when he was born. Therefore, children who are three years old should have their own language.  In other words, at least they must be able to pronounce 3–4 words, pronouns, and others. 

Language Comprehension 

Understanding language is considered a trait that requires unique mechanisms to deal with it. Chomsky gives an illustration that understanding language depends on its productivity. Taka (2008) claims that language understanding will be more complex than language acquisition. Then, Scovel (1980) added, understanding language is the task of the processes that language recipients will achieve. In addition, brain development also affects a person's language development. As stated by Scovel, claims about phoneme opinion is considered easier than vocabulary acquisition. 

When exploring knowledge related to language comprehension, psycholinguistics  provides components that can not be avoided: 

a. Speech processing 

Speech processing is a form of representation of sound signals transmitted to the brain.  This process is in the form of sensory input such as hearing, phonetics, and phonology. b. Lexical Processing 

Lexical processing is a form of adding vocabulary from various related information.  Marslen-Wilson (1990) states that the lexical representation will accept the appropriate 

input. Moreover, the lexical representation will make syntax and semantics emerge from information from words or sentences. 

c. Sequential Processing 

Processing of words in the brain that will be made into sentences. This process will have a close relationship with the sentence based on the information provided. 

d. Discourse Processing 

Discourse is built to examine the information drawn from informants so that it can provide results from processing the discourse (Fonteneau et al., 1998). 

Language Production 

Language production is a language skill. The theory of language production explains that speaking will not be difficult if done intuitively (Arai, 2016). Psycholinguistics describes concepts that will help in understanding the concept itself. Therefore, there are two processing models in this stage: the lexical access model and the serial model. Psycholinguistics sees that these two models provide a conceptual understanding of why speech can be produced with various forms. 

In addition, psycholinguistics finds processes in almost all language production processes. When the message has been identified, it will be coded linguistically.  This process is part of lexical selection. Then, semantics comes to add the process of language production. That is, the words obtained will be processed according to their meaning. Both selections present information related to meaning and grammar. The grammatical information is used for the next step, such as grammatical coding. Just like understanding language,  grammatical information will identify syntactically a word consisting of nouns, verbs, and others. 

Psycholinguistics in language teaching 

Previously, the scope of psycholinguistics was explained, which explains how a person acquires their language. After that, this article will explain how to teach language using an approach from psycholinguistics. In general, skills in communication or language consist of listening, reading, speaking, and writing. This aspect has become the basis for acquiring and developing one's first and second language. Of the four skills, psycholinguistics is able to help from any problems contained in it, such as classifying students' problems in language learning. 

Some things will be learned through psycholinguistics towards language teaching.  Psycholinguistics will provide insight into the psychology of language and discourse. In-depth, it can be said that language will be produced in the human brain. However, psycholinguistics exists to fulfill the intellectual intake of language learning. Therefore, Demirezen (2004) proposed that the  application of psycholinguistics can be seen in the inclusion of psycholinguistic sciences into  four language skills: 

a. Psycholinguistics and listening 

Learning about listening is a skill that requires high-quality hearing. This is based on the existence of difficulties in the intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic difficulties can be identified in the speed of sound, lack of vocabulary, and topic of choice. At the same time, the difficulties in extrinsic learning are weak motivation, interest, learning objectives, and an environment that is not conducive to learning. 

Psycholinguistics offers a learning model that teachers can use to overcome these problems. The methods offered by psycholinguistics are preparing texts that are suitable for students, choosing a learning atmosphere, and choosing the type of speed of sound that can be easier to understand. Last but not least, teachers can create comfortable classes in order to embrace students and increase students' motivation to learn. 

b. Psycholinguistics and reading 

In general, learning about reading will refer to the text. In developing this learning, the psycholinguistic approach will use a bottom-up approach. Bottom-up is a case where someone will understand the language according to the meaning and grammatical characteristics used to understand the language or text comprehensively. 

This approach evaluates the selection of texts that should follow students' abilities.  Therefore, psycholinguistics provides a solution for students who have difficulty improving their reading skills. The teacher must consider several stages: a) the provision of authentic reading, b) the text according to the student's abilities, and c) the selected text has a relationship with the social world. 

c. Psycholinguistics and writing 

Errors in writing often occur. Usually, the difficulty in this problem comes from the spelling of the word and the structure of the sentence. Psycholinguistics can help to overcome this problem. Psycholinguistics offers to find topics that match the student's interest in writing. Teachers can allow students to express themselves with their writing.  This method helps reduce the difficulties that are often encountered. 

d. Psycholinguistics and speaking 

Speaking is a language skill that is sometimes beyond the student's expectations. This problem is often encountered when someone learns to acquire a second language. When a  person can read, write and listen to several sentences in their second language, they often have difficulty speaking. In this case, the psycholinguistics approach takes its position as a controller in teaching speaking. Psycholinguistics explains that this problem occurs because of: a) personality (introvert and extrovert), b) speech defects, c) voice disorders,  and d) one's psychology. 

In addition, other disorders can hinder a person from improving their speaking skills,  such as trauma consisting of aphasia and autism. Problems in language can be fixed,  provided that they are handled appropriately. Psycholinguistics can provide a method of handling, especially for people with aphasia. With knowledge from psycholinguistics, the teacher or healer can use the proper techniques to deal with speaking skills problems. 

Conclusion 

Psycholinguistics focuses on the application of language and communication.  Psycholinguistics has a close relationship with the acquisition and development of language.  This approach explains how a person acquires and uses language, such as language acquisition,  comprehension, and language production. However, problems often occur when a person learns a language, especially in the scope of education, which is contained in the four primary language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Thus, psycholinguistic theories can help overcome the problems that occur when a person learns their first or second language.  Theoretically, language problems can be cured with proper handling. Psycholinguistics has been present to bring various methods for the development of one's language. Therefore, applying a  psycholinguistic approach is considered suitable for the acquisition and development of one's language.