Effects of knowledge about cross‐language equivalents on children's use of mutual exclusivity in interpreting novel labels

Abstract

Young children seem to assume that words pick out mutually exclusive object categories. This assumption of mutual exclusivity can be useful in word learning, but it is fallible. This study examined the effects of knowledge about cross‐language equivalents on children's use of mutual exclusivity in interpreting a novel label coming from a foreign language and in interpreting a novel label within their first language. It was found that 4‐year‐olds with such knowledge suspended the assumption of mutual exclusivity in interpreting a novel label coming from a foreign language. Furthermore, they were willing to accept multiple labels for an object even within a language, as long as the context suggested that they should do so. In contrast, 3‐year‐olds did not seem to make use of such knowledge in either case. Thus, it appeared that 4‐year‐olds could make use of knowledge about language to fine tune the use of mutual exclusivity, but that this seemed to be difficult for 3‐year‐olds.