Rather than saying the kitten fell in the bathtub, young Morris says, "Kitty wet," which leaves Morris's mother to wonder about the nature of the liquid on or coming out of the cat. This linguistic limitation is known as
A)overextension.
B)fast-mapping.
C)telegraphic speech.
D)referential style.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The linguistic limitation described in the scenario is known as telegraphic speech. This refers to the stage in language development where a child uses short and simple phrases, leaving out non-essential words, which can sometimes be interpreted in more than one way. In this case, Morris's statement "Kitty wet" could refer to the cat being wet or the cat causing something else to become wet.

Rather Than Saying the Kitten Fell in the Bathtub, Young