Studi Kasus Penggelembungan Makna Dalam Pemerolehan Bahasa Anak Usia 1 Tahun 6 Bulan Pada Beryl ElFatahan Qabbani

Abstract

This study aims to describe in detail the forms of semantic overextension found in the utterances of Beryl Elfathan Qabbani, a child aged one year and six months, and to explain the psycholinguistic mechanisms underlying this phenomenon in early language acquisition. The research adopts a descriptive naturalistic approach within the framework of linguistic research as proposed by Mahsun. The data consist of the child’s spontaneous spoken utterances produced in natural daily interactions in the home environment. Data were collected through observation, audio-video recording, and direct interaction, and were analyzed using intralingual and extralingual matching methods. The findings reveal that semantic overextension occurs systematically and consistently across three main semantic categories: animals, luminous objects, and large vehicles. In the animal category, a single utterance form is extended to refer to multiple animals based on shared perceptual features. In the category of luminous objects, one form is used to denote both the moon and street lights, reflecting categorization driven by visual salience and spatial perception. The category of large vehicles exhibits a more complex pattern, with two distinct utterance forms referring to various heavy machines and transport vehicles, indicating an emerging differentiation in the child’s conceptual system. From a psycholinguistic perspective, these patterns demonstrate that semantic overextension functions as a cognitive and communicative strategy shaped by phonological constraints, limited lexical resources, perceptual experience, and social interaction. The study concludes that semantic overextension is a systematic and adaptive process reflecting the holistic development of linguistic and cognitive systems in early childhood.