Question

The 2 -year-old child who refers to every four-legged animal as "doggie" is making which of the following errors? A. underextension B. overextension C. overregularization D. underregularization

Short answer

Answer: B. Overextension

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the error types

First, we have to understand the meaning of each type of error: A. Underextension: When a child uses a word too narrowly, applying it only to a specific object or situation. B. Overextension: When a child uses a word too broadly, applying it to a wider range of objects or situations than is appropriate. C. Overregularization: When a child applies grammatical rules to words that are exceptions to the rule, usually seen when they are learning verb tenses or pluralization. D. Underregularization: The opposite of overregularization; when a child fails to apply grammatical rules to words that should follow the rule.

Analyzing the given situation

In our given situation, the 2-year-old child is using the word "doggie" to refer to every four-legged animal. It means the child is applying the word "doggie" too broadly.

Identifying the error type

Based on the definitions of the error types and the given situation, the child's mistake is an example of overextension. The child is using the word "doggie" too broadly for all four-legged animals instead of using the correct specific word for each animal. So the correct answer is: B. Overextension