Question

What did Noam Chomsky propose in regard to Language Acquisition?

A. Parents using child-directed speech aid in the development of the child's ability to speak and understand language.
B. Children learn language by associating words with meanings.
C. People are born with the biological ability to acquire language.
D. Language is acquired through a process of imitation of the people around them.

Answer 1

Noam Chomsky proposed that humans have an innate mechanism for language acquisition called the language acquisition device (LAD), suggesting that our ability to acquire language is biologically predetermined and complemented by the environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Noam Chomsky proposed that humans are born with a biological ability to acquire language. He introduced the concept of a language acquisition device (LAD), which is an innate mechanism or mental capacity that facilitates the learning of language. This idea opposes the behaviorist view proposed by B.F. Skinner, who suggested that language is learned through reinforcement. While Chomsky's theory highlights the inborn predispositions for language, it recognizes that our linguistic environment also plays a crucial role in language development. Thus, children's remarkable ability to learn language is a combination of both their biological setup and their interactions with their environment.