Children all over the world seem to acquire their first language in much the same manner. The stages in their highly structured First Language Acquisition (FLA) process that involve making hypotheses and testing them against the linguistic input they are exposed to, appear to be universal in all children. However, Chomsky′s nativist theory of a Language Faculty that is innate in every healthy human being has been challenged vigorously - especially by advocates of the behaviouristic school.
Alas, there are certain arguments that strongly support the Innateness Hypothesis (IH) and the existence of a Language Faculty1:
1. FLA is uniform
2. FLA is untutored
3. FLA is underdetermined by exposure/data
4. FLA draws from degenerated input
5. FLA features no negative evidence
6. FLA is always successful
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The Nature vs. Nurture Debate
- 3. The Innateness Hypothesis
- 4. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay examines the debate between behaviorist and nativist perspectives on first language acquisition (FLA), focusing on Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis (IH) and its implications for syntax acquisition. It aims to provide insight into the arguments supporting the IH and explore the evidence for a biologically predisposed language faculty.
- The Nature vs. Nurture Debate in Linguistics
- Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis (IH)
- Uniformity of First Language Acquisition
- Stages of Language Development in Children
- The Role of Innate Linguistic Knowledge
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the essay by outlining the central question: Is the acquisition of a first grammar guided by an innate, grammar-specific device? It introduces the seemingly universal stages of first language acquisition (FLA) and highlights the ongoing debate between nativist and behaviorist theories. The chapter establishes the essay's purpose—to explore Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis (IH) and provide supporting evidence, focusing primarily on the acquisition of syntax. It lists several arguments strongly supporting the Innateness Hypothesis: FLA is uniform, untutored, underdetermined by exposure, draws from degenerated input, features no negative evidence, and is always successful. This introduction effectively lays the groundwork for the subsequent chapters.
2. The Nature vs. Nurture Debate: This chapter delves into the long-standing debate regarding the relative contributions of genetics ("nature") and environment ("nurture") to human behavior, specifically focusing on language acquisition. It presents opposing viewpoints: nativists like Chomsky and Gardner argue for an innate language faculty, while behaviorists like Clark and Piaget emphasize the role of learning and environmental factors. The chapter highlights the nativist perspective that aspects of the brain have evolved specifically for language, contrasting it with the behaviorist view that language uses pre-existing brain structures. While acknowledging the influence of environment, the chapter points to the remarkable uniformity of FLA across cultures as a challenge to purely behaviorist explanations. The chapter sets the context for the subsequent exploration of Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis.
3. The Innateness Hypothesis: This chapter focuses on the Innateness Hypothesis (IH), providing evidence supporting its claims. It emphasizes the uniformity of FLA, describing the consistent stages of development observed in healthy children globally, from phonetic perception and production to the emergence of syntax. The chapter details specific examples: infants' initial ability to discriminate between sounds not phonemic in their target language, their subsequent loss of this ability by six months, and the development of babbling and holophrastic speech. It utilizes studies on infants' sucking rate to demonstrate the ability to differentiate phonemes. The chapter supports the view that humans are born with a predisposition to discover linguistic units and produce them, depending on the input they receive. The chapter connects the described stages of development with the innateness hypothesis, arguing that this uniformity and progression strongly support the existence of an innate language faculty.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
First Language Acquisition (FLA), Innateness Hypothesis (IH), Language Faculty, Nature vs. Nurture, Behaviorism, Nativism, Syntax Acquisition, Linguistic Development, Universal Grammar, Chomsky, Phonemic Perception.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this essay?
This essay explores the debate between behaviorist and nativist perspectives on first language acquisition (FLA), focusing on Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis (IH) and its implications for syntax acquisition. It investigates the arguments supporting the IH and examines evidence for a biologically predisposed language faculty.
What are the key themes explored in this essay?
The key themes include the nature vs. nurture debate in linguistics, Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis (IH), the uniformity of first language acquisition, stages of language development in children, and the role of innate linguistic knowledge.
What are the main chapters and their content?
The essay is structured into four chapters: Chapter 1 (Introduction) sets the stage, outlining the central question of innate grammatical devices and introducing the debate between nativist and behaviorist theories. Chapter 2 (The Nature vs. Nurture Debate) delves into the historical debate, contrasting nativist and behaviorist viewpoints on language acquisition. Chapter 3 (The Innateness Hypothesis) focuses on Chomsky's IH, providing evidence from the uniformity of FLA stages, including phonetic perception, babbling, and syntax development, supported by studies on infants’ sucking rate. Chapter 4 (Conclusion) is implied but not explicitly detailed in the preview.
What evidence supports Chomsky's Innateness Hypothesis?
The essay highlights several arguments supporting the Innateness Hypothesis: the uniformity of FLA across cultures, the fact that language acquisition is largely untutored, the insufficiency of environmental input, the ability to learn from imperfect input, the lack of negative evidence during learning, and the universal success of language acquisition. The consistent stages of language development in children worldwide are also presented as strong evidence.
What is the difference between the nativist and behaviorist perspectives on language acquisition?
Nativists, like Chomsky, believe that humans possess an innate language faculty, a biologically predisposed ability for language. Behaviorists, like Clark and Piaget, emphasize the role of learning and environmental factors, arguing that language acquisition is driven by imitation, reinforcement, and other learning mechanisms. The essay contrasts the nativist view of specialized brain structures for language with the behaviorist view that language utilizes pre-existing brain structures.
What are the stages of language development discussed in the essay?
The essay mentions several stages, including phonetic perception and production, babbling, holophrastic speech, and the emergence of syntax. It highlights infants' initial ability to discriminate between sounds and their subsequent loss of this ability around six months of age.
What are the keywords associated with this essay?
Key words include First Language Acquisition (FLA), Innateness Hypothesis (IH), Language Faculty, Nature vs. Nurture, Behaviorism, Nativism, Syntax Acquisition, Linguistic Development, Universal Grammar, Chomsky, and Phonemic Perception.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sandra Beyer (Autor:in), 2005, Is the acquisition of a first grammar guided by an innate, grammar-specific device?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/45314
