Final answer:
Children linguistics is the study of how children acquire language, influenced by both innate predispositions and environmental factors. There is a critical period for language learning, and both nature and nurture contribute to children's language development. Robert is likely focused on nurturing his children's language skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
Children Linguistics and Language Development
The realm of children linguistics encompasses the study of how children acquire language and the factors that contribute to language development. From a biological perspective, language acquisition in children is a natural process that is influenced by innate predispositions as well as environmental factors. The renowned researcher Noam Chomsky proposed that children are born with a language acquisition device (LAD), which equips them to learn language naturally. B.F. Skinner, on the other hand, emphasized the role of reinforcement and feedback in language learning.
Language development begins even before birth, as babies can distinguish their mother's voice and show preferences for synchronized facial movements in relation to spoken language. As they grow, they quickly master the complexities of language through both innate cognitive abilities and interactions with their environment. There is evidence suggesting a critical period for language learning, during which children are most adept at mastering new languages. After this period, the ease of acquiring and mastering new languages typically diminishes.
Therefore, when Robert expresses hopefulness for his children's linguistics, he is likely focused on nurturing language skills in his children. This can be an interplay of providing a rich linguistic environment and recognizing the innate abilities that children possess for language acquisition. Ultimately, both nature and nurture play critical roles in the development of language in children.
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