Final answer:
Language acquisition in children is influenced both by inherent biological mechanisms and by interactions with their environment. While Chomsky emphasized innate biological predispositions for language development, Skinner highlighted the role of environmental reinforcement, suggesting a blend of nature and nurture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Is it generally believed that language is residual as well as learned? The acquisition of language in children is undoubtedly both a result of biological predispositions and environmental factors. The debate between B.F. Skinner's behaviorist explanation, where language is learned through reinforcement, and Noam Chomsky's theory of an innate language acquisition device (LAD) highlight the complex interplay between nature and nurture in language development.
Chomsky's view, supported by subsequent research, suggests that children are born with a mechanism that allows them to understand and produce language, a claim bolstered by the consistent order of language structures learned across cultures. However, children also require environmental stimulation; they learn the specifics of a language through interaction within their linguistic community. This dual influence enables children to swiftly and effectively acquire their native language, a skill that typically becomes more challenging with age.
Linguists Sapir and Whorf's theory of linguistic relativity suggests that language shapes our perception of reality, illustrating how deeply embedded language is in our cognitive processes. The remarkable ability of humans to learn any language from birth, facilitated by specific biological features, showcases our unique neurological function for language.