Insights into Language Development and Chomsky's Theory
Learn about language development milestones, theories from B.F. Skinner to Chomsky, and the Language Acquisition Device. Explore arguments for and against Chomsky's groundbreaking theory on language acquisition.
Insights into Language Development and Chomsky's Theory
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Presentation Transcript
Language Development Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D.
Chomsky & Language Development • When do children understand their first words? • When do children say their first words? • Simple sentences?
Theories of Language • Prior to 1950s: Behavioral theories • B. F. Skinner • Idea: language is reinforced or punished • Problem: children are always creating things they have never heard before. • Children misapply the rules of language.
1950: Chomsky • Language is prewired in a baby’s brain. • There is a universal language that gets inherited through our DNA. • The language acquisition device (LAD) • Metaphor: a seed language gets inherited through the genes. Out of this seed language would blossom all past, present, and future languages of the world.
Support for Chomsky • Explanation for why humans are the only creatures with a capacity for language.
Criticism of Chomsky’s theory • Children do learn by rewards and punishment. • Is this only unique to humans? What about trained chimps, gorillas, etc. • Where is the LAD?