Verb Naming in Telugu School Children

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to find out whether children acquire verb naming in early or late childhood and also to find out whether verb naming is stabilized in 5 to 6 years of age children’s. Method: The study was based on 50 school going Telugu children among these, 25 children were from 3 to 4 years and again 25 children were from 5 to 6 years. A set of 25 action pictures were used as the stimuli to elicit verb naming in both groups. Results and Discussion: Children have more number of verbal forms compared to nouns. It describes static misnaming, dynamic misnaming, semantically related and unrelated verbs. When we look overall data, we find that the verb “agi vundi” (waiting) was not named at all in 3 to 4-year age group, whereas one child could name it in 5 to 6 year age group. Hence, we can conclude that this was most complex verb for children to comprehend and name. Summary and Conclusion: While acquiring a language, children pass through various stages of developments. Verb develop (1-1.6), 2- Word stage (11 /2 – 2yrs), telegraphic speech (2-3yrs) and full competence stage (4 – 5yrs). Present investigator thought it appropriate to explore their development in Telugu speaking children, as there are very few studies on this aspect in Telugu. The present study delves deep into naming of transitive verbs in both groups of Telugu children.