To train children on each of the novel verbs, an experimenter performed the referent action with the designated prop while labeling the action with the novel verb. For example, refers to turning a dial on an object. When the experimenter performed for the meeping meeping child, she said, at what I can do with this toy! I’m it! Do you see me the toy? “Look meeping meeping Wow, I’m it! Watch me the toy! I’m it. I am the toy! meeping meeping meeping meeping Would you like to see that again? Let me show you one more time. Cool! I’m it! meeping Do you see me the toy? Wow, I’m it! Watch me the toy! I’m meeping meeping meeping it. I am the toy!” meeping meeping Each verb was uttered 12 times in full sentences. The script was identical for each action, except for the particular novel verb (i.e., and the specific blicking, twilling, frepping, meeping) object used to demonstrate the action. All verbs were tested using video clips edited from (Hassenfeld, Sesame Beginnings Nosek & Clash, 2006a; 2006b). Each test clip required children to extend their knowledge of the novel verb to a new actor and to a new object performing the action. For example, an experimenter demonstrated during training by turning the rotors on a toy helicopter, but meeping the test clip of showed Elmo’s dad turning the dial on an old-fashioned radio. Although meeping the rotors and radio dial were perceptually similar, and the experimenter and Elmo’s dad made similar turning motions, children nevertheless had to extend their knowledge of to a meeping new actor performing the action (i.e., from a human actor to a puppet actor) and to a new object (i.e., from a helicopter to a radio). Procedure
To train children on each of the novel verbs, an experimenter performed the referent action with the designated prop while labeling the action with the novel verb. For example, meeping refers to turning a dial on an object. When the experimenter performed meeping for the child, she said, “Look at what I can do with this toy! I’m meeping it! Do you see me meeping the toy? Wow, I’m meeping it! Watch me meeping the toy! I’m meeping it. I am meeping the toy! Would you like to see that again? Let me show you one more time. Cool! I’m meeping it! Do you see me meeping the toy? Wow, I’m meeping it! Watch me meeping the toy! I’m meeping it. I am meeping the toy!” Each verb was uttered 12 times in full sentences. The script was identical for each action, except for the particular novel verb (i.e., blicking, twilling, frepping, meeping) and the specific object used to demonstrate the action. All verbs were tested using video clips edited from Sesame Beginnings (Hassenfeld, Nosek & Clash, 2006a; 2006b). Each test clip required children to extend their knowledge of the novel verb to a new actor and to a new object performing the action. For example, an experimenter demonstrated meeping during training by turning the rotors on a toy helicopter, but the test clip of meeping showed Elmo’s dad turning the dial on an old-fashioned radio. Although the rotors and radio dial were perceptually similar, and the experimenter and Elmo’s dad made similar turning motions, children nevertheless had to extend their knowledge of meeping to a new actor performing the action (i.e., from a human actor to a puppet actor) and to a new object (i.e., from a helicopter to a radio). Procedure