Syntax acquisition

Many experts say that syntactic acquisition begins when children can combine two or more
words (0-2 years). Therefore they consider holofrasis not related to the development of syntactic
acquisition. But clark (1977) and Garman (1977) state that the holofrases phase is related to the
development of language acquisition because it provides an inner picture of the development of syntax.
Unlike the researchers, the acquisition of syntax does not begin the study of the stage of
holophrasis because, as the words Greenfield and Smith (1976) 'holofrasis are difficult to interpret and
understand. To be able to interpret it the researcher must refer to the situation and context in which
holophrasis is spoken.
In the field of syntax, the child starts speaking by saying one word, this word is actually full
sentence but because he has not been able to say more than one word, he only takes one word from that
sentence for example the child who says bi for the word mobil can mean to say:
a. Ma, itu mobil

b. Ma, ayo kita ke mobil

While the utterance for two words is the word echa said at the time he was 1; 8 (Dardjowidjo 2000: 146)
a. liat tuputupu means ayo lihat kupu-kupu
b. etsa nani means echa mau nyanyi.

There are 5 theories about Syntax acquisition]

1. Pivot grammar theory
The study on the acquisition of syntactics by children was begun by Braene (1963), Bellugi
(1964), Brown and Fraser (1964), and Miller and Ervin (1964). According to the study, these two children
's words consist of two types of words according to the position and frequency of the words appear in the
sentence. Then these two words are then known by the name of the pivot class and the open class.
Generally words that belong to the pivot class are function words, while those in the class are the words
words (contents words) or full words such as nouns and verbs.
the features of pivot class and open class
Pivot class Open class
Available at the beginning or end of the Available at the beginning or end of the
sentence. sentence.

The amount is limited, but often appears The amount is not limited, so it doesn't
appear very often

New members rarely appear (new words) New members often appear (new words)
 Never appeared alone Can appear alone

Never appears together in one sentence Can appear together in one sentence, or
also from a pivot class

Do not have your own reference; but Have your own reference
always refers to other words from the open
class

Example :

Alloneshoe, hat on, and want milk. The word allgone is the word pivot that appears in the initial position
of the sentence, the word shoe is the word open class at the end of the sentence. The word hat is the word
open class at the beginning of the sentence, and the word on is the word pivot that appears at the end of
the sentence. Then, the word want is the word pivot at the beginning of the sentence, while the word milk
is an open word that appears at the end of the sentence.
2. Relationship theory of conscience
The generative grammar of transformation from Chomsky (1957-1965) was very influential in the study
of the development of child syntax. According to Chomsky certain grammatical relationships such as
"subject - of, predicate - of, and direct object - of" are universal and are owned by all languages in this
world.
Based on the Chomsky's pocket, Mc. Neil (1970) states that children's knowledge of universal grammar
relationships is "conscience". Then it will directly affect the acquisition of children's syntax since its
inception. Thus, the syntactic acquisition is determined by these universal grammatical relations
3. Theory of grammar relations and situation information
In connection with the theory of relations of grammar of conscience, Bloom (1970) says that the
relationship of grammar relations without reference to information situations (context) is not sufficient to
analyze speech or language of children.
The example in Indonesian of the words "mother cake" in different situations can be interpreted: The
child asks for the cake for his mother.
4. Theory of cumulative complex
This theory was cited by Brown (1973) based on the data it collected. According to Brown, the order of
syntactic acquisition by children is determined by the cumulative semantic complex of semantic
morpheme and cumulative complex grammar being acquired. So, it is not at all determined by the
frequency of morpheme emergence or those words in adult speech. From each child (two years old) who
was acquiring English in Brown, it was evident that the first morpheme that was mastered was
progressive-ing of the verb, though this form does not often appear in adult speeches.
Once the new progressive-in comes the first in, then on, and followed by the plural, 's. While the articles
The and a more often appear in the new adult sayings appear in the eighth stage. The syntactic
developmental sequences reported by Brown are almost identical to the sequence of developmental syntax
relationships reported by some other experts (sim 1987).
5. Semantic approach theory
This semantic approach theory according to Greenfield and Smith (1976) was first introduced by Bloom.
In this case Bloom (1970) integrates semantic knowledge in the study of the development of this syntax
based on his generative theory of transformation, Chomsky (1965).
One language theory based on semantic components was introduced by Fillmore (1968) known as case
grammar. This theory has been used by Bowerman and Brown (1973) as a basis for analyzing data on
language development.