The acquisition of LEXIS

Question 1

What is the name of the stage of development where a child acquires their first 50 words?

Answer 1

Holophrastic stage.

Question 2

What is the name given to a one word utterance that may carry more pragmatic meaning?

Answer 2

A holophrase.

Question 3

Which linguist did research connected with a child’s ‘First 50 words’?

Answer 3

Katherine Nelson (1973)

Question 4

At roughly what age is a child in the holophrastic stage?

Answer 4

12 - 18 months

Question 5

What is categorical over extension?

Answer 5

A lexical error where, for example, all round fruit are called apples.

Question 6

What is analogical over extension?

Answer 6

A lexical error where, for example, all round things are referred to as balls.

Question 7

What is mismatch over extension?

Answer 7

A lexical error where an object is given an apparently abstract and incorrect label that can only be explained through contextual understanding - saying DUCK when pointing to an empty pond.

Question 8

Which language theorist would suggest that our first 50 words are acquired from our immediate environment as a result of our interactions.

Answer 8

Skinner

Question 9

When does object permanence usually occur and how does this impact on the acquisition of lexis?

Answer 9

This occurs usually at around 18 months and the consequence is a rapid increase in the acquisition of lexis.

Question 10

Who devised the STAGES OF LINGUISTIC DEVELOPMENT?

Answer 10

Aitchison

Question 11

What is the first stage of Aitchison’s theory of lexical acquisition?

Answer 11

This is LABELLING: linking a word to an object.

Question 12

What is PACKAGING - Aitchison’s second stage of lexical acquisition?

Answer 12

Where babies explore labels for different objects and make frequent over and under extension errors.

Question 13

What stage of Aitchison’s theory of lexical development is NETWORK BUILDING and what is it?

Answer 13

This is the final stage of Aitchison’s theory of lexical development and it is where a child begins to make connections between words; starting to understand their similarities / differences; acquires an understanding of antonyms and synonyms.

Question 14

What is categorical under extension?

Answer 14

A lexical error where a child only recognises one specific object for a label, for example only a cartoon duck, not a real duck in a pond, is identified by the word DUCK.

Question 15

What are the four groups in Nelson’s FIRST 50 WORDS?

Answer 15

There are four groups: 1- nouns (classes of object and specific objects) 2- Actions and events 3- Modifying things 4- Personal / social words