CLA: lexis and semantics Flashcards
Theory: Jean Aitchison
- Labelling: Linking words to the objects to which they refer, understanding that things can be labelled
- Packaging: Exploring the labels and to what they can apply. Over/under-extension occurs in order to eventually understand the range of a word’s meaning
- Network-building: Making connections between words, understanding similarities and opposites in meaning
Hyponomy:
the hierarchal structure that exists between lexical items
hypernym:
a more general word that can have more specific words under it
hyponym:
a more specific word in a wider category
Over-extension
This example of over-extension demonstrates the child’s exploration of labels.
Semantic Development:
The first few years of a child’s life are largely concerned with making specific connections between people, places and things and the words attached to them.
This development might be seen as a process of refinement. Children show themselves to be quite scientific in the way they approach this meaning making. They will apply a word to objects with similar features in order to ‘test’ whether the word is accurate in that context. This testing is described as over-extension and can be categorical or analogical.
Categorical over-extension:
Categorical over-extension occurs when the child applies the same word to all items within the same category e.g. all drinks are ‘milk’.
Analogical over-extension:
Analogical over-extension would occur when a child makes connections between items because they have similar characteristics e.g. calling socks, tea-towels and oven gloves ‘blankie’ because they are all made of fabric.
Under extension:
Under-extension is when a child limits the way a word is used and doesn’t recognise its full meaning e.g. only milk that comes from a particular carton is called ‘milk’.
Mismatch statement:
Mismatch statement: Labelling an object completely different to what it is e.g. calling a pond a duck
Theory: Jean Piaget
Jean Piaget emphasised that children are active learners who use their environment and social interactions to shape their language. The word ‘wassat’ shows that the child wants more labels to describe the objects around her. Piaget linked linguistic development with understanding, suggesting that children cannot be taught a word before they are ready and understand the meaning of the word.
Theory: B.F skinner
B. F Skinner believed that children develop language through imitation and positive or negative reinforcement. The types of first words we’ve looked at today seem to agree with this theory as many are words that are likely to have been used often and repeated by caregivers.
