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"QUESTION: Reading teachers are concerned with language acquisition since oral language provides a basis for reading. In your writing, you state that at birth, children are genetically programmed to acquire language and that it is innate. Is, then, the heavy emphasis placed on language development by nursery schools and kindergartens justified?
CHOMSKY: There is little doubt that the basic structure of language and the principles that determine the form and interpretation of sentences in any human language are in large part innate. But it does not follow that emphasis on language development is misplaced. If a child is placed in an impoverished environment, innate abilities simply will not develop, mature, and flourish. To take an extreme case, a child who wears a cast on its legs for too long will never learn to walk, and a child deprived of appropriate nutrition may undergo puberty only after a long delay, or never, though there is no doubt that walking and sexual maturation are innately determined biological properties. Similarly, a child brought up in an institution may have ample experience and nutrition, but still may not develop normally, either physically or mentally, if normal human interaction is lacking.
It is a traditional insight that teaching is not like filling a cup with water, but more like enabling a flower to grow in its own way; but it will not grow and flourish without proper care. Language development, like all human development, will be heavily determined by the nature of the environment, and may be severely limited unless the environment is appropriate. A stimulating environment is required to enable natural curiosity, intelligence, and creativity to develop, and to enable our biological capacities to unfold. The fact that the course of development is largely internally determined does not mean that it will proceed without care, stimulation, and opportunity."
What else can I help you with?
According to Chomsky's theory of language acquisition is?
Chomsky's theory of language acquisition, known as Universal Grammar, suggests that humans are born with an innate ability to understand and produce language. He proposed that children are genetically predisposed to acquire language and that this ability is triggered by exposure to language in their environment. Chomsky believed that there are universal rules and structures that underlie all languages, which children intuitively grasp as they learn to speak.
What terminology would some theorists use to describe the innate language processor that children are born with?
Some theorists might refer to the innate language processor that children are born with as a "universal grammar," a term popularized by Noam Chomsky. This concept suggests that children have an innate ability to acquire language due to a set of underlying linguistic principles that are shared across all languages.
What is the universal inborn ability to learn language?
The universal inborn ability to learn language is often referred to as language acquisition device. It is a theoretical construct proposed by Noam Chomsky to explain how humans are biologically pre-wired to acquire language. This innate capacity enables infants to learn and understand language effortlessly during early development.
Does chomsky believe early language development is primarily the result of innate factors?
Yes, Noam Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar posits that early language development is primarily the result of innate factors. He argues that all humans are born with a biological predisposition to acquire language due to a universal set of linguistic principles that are hard-wired in the brain.
What does the language acquisition device LAD refer to?
The language acquisition device (LAD) is a theoretical concept proposed by Noam Chomsky, which suggests that humans are born with an innate ability to acquire and develop language. According to this theory, the LAD helps children learn a language naturally and effortlessly during their early years of development.
According to Chomsky's theory of language acquisition is?
Chomsky's theory of language acquisition, known as Universal Grammar, suggests that humans are born with an innate ability to understand and produce language. He proposed that children are genetically predisposed to acquire language and that this ability is triggered by exposure to language in their environment. Chomsky believed that there are universal rules and structures that underlie all languages, which children intuitively grasp as they learn to speak.
What is innate capacity?
The natural ability of peopleto acquire language
What does the language acquisition device lad explain?
The Language Acquisition Device (LAD) is a theoretical concept introduced by Noam Chomsky to explain how children have an innate ability to acquire language. According to Chomsky, children are born with a cognitive mechanism that allows them to quickly and effortlessly learn the grammar and rules of any language they are exposed to during their critical period of language development.
How we acquire language Chomsky?
Noam Chomsky proposed that humans are born with an innate capacity for language acquisition, encapsulated in his theory of the "Universal Grammar." He argued that while children are exposed to language in their environment, they possess an inherent ability to recognize and produce grammatical structures, suggesting that the ability to learn language is hardwired in the brain. This perspective emphasizes the distinction between the language we hear and the underlying cognitive mechanisms that facilitate language development. Thus, Chomsky's theory highlights the interplay of biological predispositions and environmental input in the process of acquiring language.
What terminology would some theorists use to describe the innate language processor that children are born with?
Some theorists might refer to the innate language processor that children are born with as a "universal grammar," a term popularized by Noam Chomsky. This concept suggests that children have an innate ability to acquire language due to a set of underlying linguistic principles that are shared across all languages.
What is the universal inborn ability to learn language?
The universal inborn ability to learn language is often referred to as language acquisition device. It is a theoretical construct proposed by Noam Chomsky to explain how humans are biologically pre-wired to acquire language. This innate capacity enables infants to learn and understand language effortlessly during early development.
Does chomsky believe early language development is primarily the result of innate factors?
Yes, Noam Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar posits that early language development is primarily the result of innate factors. He argues that all humans are born with a biological predisposition to acquire language due to a universal set of linguistic principles that are hard-wired in the brain.
Innate ability is to learned skill as is to .?
Innate ability regards abilities to gain knowledge naturally and rapidly during early childhood development, especially in regards to language acquisition. The American linguist and academic Noam Chomsky termed this innate ability as the "Poverty of Stimulus" or POS theory.
What did Noam Chomsky do for psychology?
Noam Chomsky developed the theory of Universal Grammar, which said that humans have a biological aptitude to acquire language. His theory has helped develop the modern academic field of Linguistics and also Psychology as it deals with language and language acquisition.
What contribution did Chomsky have in psychology?
Noam Chomsky revolutionized psychology, particularly in the field of linguistics, by introducing the theory of Universal Grammar, which posits that the ability to acquire language is innate to humans. His work challenged behaviorist views by emphasizing the role of internal cognitive processes in language development. Chomsky's ideas have significantly influenced cognitive psychology, leading to a greater understanding of how humans process language and think. Overall, his contributions have shaped contemporary theories of language acquisition and cognitive development.
Noam Chomsky believes people are born with a genetically programmed ability to learn languages What brain structure does Chomsky say is responsible for this ability?
Noam Chomsky proposes that the brain structure responsible for our innate ability to learn languages is the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). This hypothetical module is believed to be genetically endowed and assists in the acquisition of language in early childhood.
What does the language acquisition device LAD refer to?
The language acquisition device (LAD) is a theoretical concept proposed by Noam Chomsky, which suggests that humans are born with an innate ability to acquire and develop language. According to this theory, the LAD helps children learn a language naturally and effortlessly during their early years of development.
