Overextension is best defined as:

Overextension is best defined as:

• A. Creating new words by adding prefixes or suffixes.
• B. Applying grammatical rules in novel contexts.
• C. Using a word to refer to a wider range of objects than adults would.
• D. Using a word for a narrower set of meanings than adults would.

Answer: (C)

Overextension occurs when a child uses a single word to refer to a broader range of objects or events than adults would. This happens in early language learning because the child’s vocabulary is still growing and their categories are broad and flexible. They rely on perceptual similarity or functional cues rather than precise labeling, so a word like “dog” might be used for all four-legged animals, or “mama” for all female adults. As their experiences expand and they learn more distinctions, they adjust meanings to align with adult usage. The other options describe different language processes. Creating new words with prefixes or suffixes is about forming new words, not expanding a single word’s range of referents. Applying grammatical rules in new contexts is about grammar overgeneralization, not about lexical breadth. Using a word for a narrower set of meanings than adults would is known as underextension, the opposite of overextension.

Overextension occurs when a child uses a single word to refer to a broader range of objects or events than adults would. This happens in early language learning because the child’s vocabulary is still growing and their categories are broad and flexible. They rely on perceptual similarity or functional cues rather than precise labeling, so a word like “dog” might be used for all four-legged animals, or “mama” for all female adults. As their experiences expand and they learn more distinctions, they adjust meanings to align with adult usage.

The other options describe different language processes. Creating new words with prefixes or suffixes is about forming new words, not expanding a single word’s range of referents. Applying grammatical rules in new contexts is about grammar overgeneralization, not about lexical breadth. Using a word for a narrower set of meanings than adults would is known as underextension, the opposite of overextension.