Final answer:
Specialized brain mechanisms, such as Broca's and Wernicke's areas, are involved in language production and comprehension. Language acquisition is influenced by both innate biological factors and interactions with the linguistic environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several features of the human brain are considered prerequisites to language, including its overall size, the division into specialized hemispheres, and structures like Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Broca's area is associated with speech production, while Wernicke's area is involved in language comprehension. Both areas are usually located in the left hemisphere of the brain.
Research also suggests that protolanguage, the precursor to complex human language, emerged in the same part of the brain as the ability to imitate. It is believed that the emergence of language was primarily cultural, with biological changes to the brain facilitating the learning and development of language skills.
Language acquisition in humans involves both nature and nurture. Noam Chomsky proposed the idea of a language acquisition device (LAD), an innate capacity to learn language, while B.F. Skinner emphasized the role of reinforcement and feedback in language learning. Researchers now believe that language acquisition is a combination of innate biological factors and interaction with the linguistic environment.