Semantic Development of Child

Semantic Development of Child

Child language development in semantic knowledge consists of building up the lexical entry of a word until their words will match that of an adult. Children begin by using a word in a restricted setting, eventually they start using the word in a larger semantic network and they learn to detach it from the situation in which they gained this knowledge.

A.    The Meaning of Semantic

Semantics is the study of the meaning of linguistic tokens such as words, phrases and clauses. It examines which signs are used, how they make reference to things, ideas, emotions, and so on, and how the hearer interprets them.

B.     Categorical Concepts in Semantic Development

            1.      Overextension

                  An overextension may occur when a word is extended to apply to other objects that share a certain feature, such as a common property of shape, color, sound and size. Car might be applied to other vehicle or moon to other circular objects.

           2.      Underextension

                 Underextension occurs when a word is used with a more restricted meaning than it has in the adult language. Dog might be used only to refer to the family dog or shoes only applied to the child’s personal shoes.

     C.    How The Children Do to The Developing Semantic

·         Hyponymy : a typical definition of a specific word

Example :  Oak is a hyponym of tree.

                  Dog is a hyponym of animal.

                  Boar is a hyponym of pig.

The child will almost always use the “middle” level term in a hyponymous set such as “animal – dog - poodle” à the children first use dog with an overextended meaning close to the meaning of “animal”

·         Antonym : a word having a meaning opposite to another word.

Example : “more” is the antonym of “less”

                  “before” is the antonym of “after”

                  “tall” is the antonym of “short”

It also seems that antonymous relation are acquired fairly late (after the age of five). In on study, a large number of kindergarten children pointed to the same heavily laden apple tree when asked Which tree has more apples? And also when asked Which tree has less apples? They just seem to think the correct response will be the larger one, disregarding the difference between more and less.

     D.    The Example in Indonesia

The children use “mobil” for all vehicles which has four wheel and machine. When in the road the adult pointed out the bus the children will say that is a mobil.