Final answer:
Noam Chomsky, a renowned linguist, believed humans have an innate ability to acquire language and there is a critical period for language learning. This critical period denotes a peak time for language acquisition, which diminishes as a person ages. Chomsky introduced the concept of a Language Acquisition Device (LAD) to explain this innate capability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The linguist mentioned is Noam Chomsky, who posited humans have an innate capacity to acquire language and introduced the concept of a Language Acquisition Device (LAD). Chomsky's theory emphasizes that while human beings are hardwired for language acquisition, there exists a critical period, typically early in life, during which our ability to learn languages is at its peak.
Chomsky's view is contrasted with B. F. Skinner's behaviorist approach, which argued that language learning is a result of reinforcement from the environment. However, it is now largely accepted that language development results from an interplay of innate biological predispositions and environmental reinforcement. The critical period for language acquisition is an important aspect of both cognitive development and understanding how children are able to learn and master language so effortlessly compared to adults.
Language shapes thought and culture, and features designed into human biology facilitate language understanding and production—even beyond the critical period. However, evidence suggests that the earlier exposure to language occurs within this critical period, the more successful the language acquisition tends to be.