When 3-year-old Melissa was talking to her father on the phone, she asked, "What's that?" as she pointed to a bug on the window. Melissa's question demonstrates her lack of
A) illocutionary intent.
B) metalinguistic awareness.
C) speech registers.
D) referential communication skills.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Melissa's question "What's that?" indicates she lacks the ability to use referential communication skills, which involve using language to refer to objects, events, or concepts in the environment. By pointing to the bug and asking for information about it, Melissa is demonstrating a need to learn the label or name for the object. Illocutionary intent refers to the speaker's intention or purpose in uttering a particular sentence, metalinguistic awareness refers to the ability to think about and analyze language, and speech registers refer to different styles of language appropriate for different contexts.

When 3-Year-Old Melissa Was Talking to Her Father on the Phone