Fifteen-month-old Latisha enjoys playing with her pet kitten at home, whom she calls "kit-cat." At the park, she runs over to a group of ducks and excitedly shouts out "kit-cat;" she then runs over to a woman walking her dog and points to the dog shouting out "kit-cat." Latisha's verbalizations illustrate ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Latisha's use of the term "kit-cat" to refer to all animals illustrates overextension, a common language development phenomenon where children apply a specific word to a broader category of objects or actions than is appropriate.

Fifteen-Month-Old Latisha Enjoys Playing with Her Pet Kitten at Home