Marcy is having lunch with her mother when a friend stops by the table to say hello. "Marcy, this is my friend, and her name is Marcy, too", the mother says. The child looks up and says, "You can't be named Marcy. That is my name." In a linguistic sense, this example demonstrates
A)overregulation.
B)overextension.
C)underregulation.
D)undergeneralisation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This example demonstrates undergeneralisation, where the child believes that a name can only apply to one person, not understanding that names can be shared by multiple individuals.

Marcy Is Having Lunch with Her Mother When a Friend