shapes, colors, numbers, parts

[Margaret Fleck]

Hi everyone,

Here are three questions, all touching on issues of early word learning.
Basically, I'm fishing for something that will jog someone's memory.

(1) Can anyone point me at data on the acquisition (especially timing of
acquisition) of words relating to
   -- shapes (e.g. triangle, heart)
   -- parts of objects (e.g. lid, handle)
   -- toileting tasks (e.g. poopy, diaper, change diaper)
   -- sounds other than animal noises (e.g. song, noise, "Wheels on the Bus")
   -- numbers (i.e. early production of words like "four", not true
          understanding of what it means to have four objects)
   -- modern electronic equipment (e.g. CD, VCR, remote control, computer,
          gameboy)

Those categories of words seem to be absent (or largely absent) from the CDI
and I'm trying to understand why.  Except for the electronic equipment, much
of which is simply too recent to have been included in the CDI.

(2) Can anyone point me at data on the acquisition of morphology and syntax
for nouns which might be more common in their plural, rather than singular,
form?  For example, "teeth" or "peas."

(3) It is often claimed that kids learn color terms by first sorting objects
by color and then starting to use the color words.  Can anyone point me at
data on the extent to which this is really true?  E.g. how many kids just
start using the color words (accurately) without first sorting physical
objects?

Many thanks for any pointers you can give me,

Margaret

   (Margaret Fleck)