Acquiring lexical contrast: the case of bring-take learning

Production of the deictic verbs bring and take was evaluated among 88 normally functioning children (grades K-6). Theoretical approaches and assumptions concerning a working definition of word mastery were contrasted and found to influence (a) the evaluative scheme chosen to assess lexical knowledge and (b) conclusions concerning the development of lexical contrast. Results, which revealed a developmental order unlike that reported elsewhere, are related to the broad issue of interpretation of lexical overextension behavior. A model of antonym learning is proposed that assigns a prepotent role to the second-to-emerge term in a contrastive pair.