Transaction of cognitive-linguistic abilities and adult input: A case study of the acquisition of colour terms and colour-based subordinate object categories

Data from a comprehensive diary study of early lexical development were analysed to document the acquisition of colour terms and the acquisition of colour-based subordinate object categories by one child who learned all 11 basic colour terms prior to age 2:0 years. The pattern of child colour-term production and adult feedback for colour-term usage was recorded beginning with the first production of a colour term. Information concerning the child's non-linguistic knowledge of colour categories, comprehension of colour-terms, syntactic development, acquisition of colour-based subordinate object categories and adult strategies of introduction of colour terms and colour-based subordinate object categories also was available. Findings support a transactional process between this child's cognitive-linguistic knowledge and adult input.