Question

A one-and-a half year old child uses the word 'car' to refer to cars, buses and trucks. This is an example of:

• A. Under extension
• B. Telegraphic speech
• C. Delayed speech
• D. Over extension

Hint:

Over = Too much. Child uses one word for too many things.
Under = Too little. Child uses one word for only one specific thing.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This question identifies a common linguistic phenomenon in early childhood where a specific word is applied too broadly.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

• During language development, children often make errors as they try to categorize the world.

• Overextension (D) is the tendency of children to use a word to refer to objects or events that are similar to, but not identical to, the object the word actually names.

• In this case, the child knows the word 'car' and extends it to all vehicles with wheels (buses, trucks), noticing the shared category but not yet the specific differences.

• Under-extension (A) is the opposite—using a word too narrowly (e.g., using 'dog' only for the family pet and not for other dogs).

• Telegraphic speech (B) refers to two-word sentences (e.g., "Give milk").

Step 3: Final Answer: The behavior described is an example of Over-extension.