Clark's study on how children learn to coin agent and instrument nouns examines how children learn word formation rules. The study concludes that its data follows that of the previous principles from observational studies. First children learn compounds, then they begin using -er for agentive noun meanings and then -er for more instrumental nouns.
This reminds me of the toys made by Fisher-Price. If you go up the age range from below 1 to plus 5, the names of toys become more advanced. Under 1 are simple toys like "Ducky tub" and "play gym" - words similar to compounds. As you go older in age rage, toys are named "Transforming Batmobile" and "Power Wrangler" and "Dune Racer" making the words more complex than simple compounds. This is in tune with the studies about what word formation rules children learn and how they get more advanced with age. There is more use of -er in instrumental and agent nouns as the age range is older as opposed to the simpler compound nouns in the youngest age range of toy names.
No comments:
Post a Comment