PEMEROLEHAN ASPEK FONOLOGIS BAHASA JAWA SEBAGAI BAHASA KEDUA PADA ANAK USIA 4–5 TAHUN

Abstract

This study investigates the acquisition of Javanese phonology as a second language (B2) in a 4–5-year-old child (E.A.R.) who uses Indonesian as her first language (B1). Conducted in a natural home environment, the study employed observations, audio–video recordings, semi-structured interviews with parents, and field notes to examine developmental patterns, phonological errors, and factors affecting B2 phonological acquisition. The findings show that E.A.R.’s mastery of Javanese phonemes develops gradually and is strongly shaped by limited exposure to the language and the dominance of Indonesian in daily communication. While common phonemes shared by both languages are produced accurately, Javanese-specific phonemes—such as retroflex (/dh/, /th/), palatal nasal (/ɲ/), velar nasal (/ŋ/), and prenasal clusters (mb-, nd-, ngg-)—tend to be simplified. The study also identifies several error processes, including substitution, cluster reduction, deletion, and distortion. These patterns reflect natural phonological simplification and B1 transfer. Environmental input, phonological complexity, articulatory development, and family language attitudes emerge as key factors influencing acquisition. Overall, this research fills a gap in previous studies by describing B2 Javanese phonology acquisition in a low-exposure bilingual child.