Two-year-old Michael already knows the meaning of the word dog. One day when he is at a park with his mother, they see a dog and his mother points to the dog and says, "That's a collie." Michael is likely to conclude that
A) his mother does not know what a dog is.
B) all dogs are called collies.
C) a collie is a special type of dog.
D) collie refers to some part of the dog, such as its head or tail or neck.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since Michael already knows the word "dog," he understands that it is a general term for a type of animal. When his mother points to a specific type of dog and identifies it as a "collie," Michael will likely conclude that "collie" refers to a special type of dog. This is his mother introducing him to a more specific term that falls under the general category of "dog."

Two-Year-Old Michael Already Knows the Meaning of the Word Dog