Can someone please help with this question-- I am very confused!!
Davis went to the park with his dad
and their dog,Sport. Davis saw lots
of other dogs,pointed at them, and
said,"Sport." Was Davis showing
overextension or underextension?
I posted this question yesterday-
and was told its an example of
overextension.
I am very confused because my textbook
states:
"Younger preschoolers commonly call all
four-footed furry animals "dog,"and all
large animals "horse." This reflects
overextension,in which the child has
overextended and made a logical conclusion because these animals have
many of the same features,can be about
the same size,and therefore fit the
exsisting word."
"Underextension refers to the child's
tendency to call all male adults"daddy"
or all dogs by the family dog's name,
even though the child can clearly
recognize the difference between his
dad and all other males and his dog
and other dogs."
So,in my question,according to my textbook,wouldn't it be an example
of underextension? Please help,I am
confused!
Yes. It's an example of underextension.
I understand your confusion. Let me explain the concept of overextension and underextension in language development, and how they relate to your question.
Overextension refers to the tendency of young children to use a word in a broader sense than its actual meaning. For example, when a child calls all four-footed furry animals "dog," it is considered overextension, as the child is extending the meaning of the word beyond its intended scope.
On the other hand, underextension occurs when a child uses a word in a narrower sense, not applying it to similar objects or individuals that fit the word's meaning. For instance, if a child only refers to their family dog by its name and doesn't use the word "dog" for other dogs, it would be an example of underextension.
In your question, Davis pointed at other dogs and said "Sport," which implies that he is only using the word "Sport" to refer to his family dog. Based on this, if we consider the definitions provided in your textbook, it could indeed be seen as an example of underextension. It appears that Davis is not extending the word "dog" to include other dogs, despite being able to recognize the difference.
However, it's important to note that language development can vary among children, and it's possible for some children to exhibit both overextension and underextension at different stages. Therefore, it's essential to consider the broader context of Davis's language development to draw a more accurate conclusion.