Final answer:
Noam Chomsky's theory posits that humans have an inborn biological mechanism for language acquisition, known as the Language Acquisition Device (LAD), supporting the correct choice d. humans are genetically programmed to acquire and use language. Therefore correct option is D
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the student's question is d. humans are genetically programmed to acquire and use language. Noam Chomsky criticized behaviorist theories like those of B. F. Skinner, who believed language is learned through reinforcement. Chomsky proposed that the remarkable facility children have for linguistic acquisition stems from a biological predisposition that he termed the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). This theory aligns with the idea that all humans are born with an innate capacity for language, which is a biological feature designed to aid in language understanding and production.
Language development in humans is not solely dependent on environmental factors; it is also influenced by our innate abilities. While reinforcement and feedback play a role in language acquisition, Chomsky's argument highlights the importance of our biological endowment. The patterns observed in how children across different cultures and backgrounds acquire language suggest that this ability is, to a significant extent, genetically programmed.
Moreover, researchers recognize that there is a critical period in early life when acquiring language is most natural, providing additional evidence that language development is biologically grounded. Language, therefore, emerges from an interaction between this innate biological groundwork and the environmental conditions and cultural influences a child encounters.