Names for things: A study in human learning. By John Macnamara. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1982. Pp. xii, 273. 17. 50.

Four chapters in the book's first section, Matters Mainly Psychological, describe empirical observations that explore how a child copes with the fact that many different name-like words can be applied to a single object.A second major section, Matters Mainly Linguistic, contains chapters on phonology, the learning of grammatical categories, the definite and indefinite articles, and the plural. A third section, Matters Mainly Philosophical, focuses entirely on the complex issues of reference and meaning. A final chapter reflects on the implications of the book for developmental psychology.John Macnamara is a world-recognized developmental psychologist and Professor of Psychology at McGill University. An MIT Press/Bradford Book.