Final answer:
The 'stimulus free nature of language' refers to the ability of human language to operate beyond direct environmental stimuli, allowing for abstract, generative communication. Language development is a balance of innate biological predispositions and environmental interactions. The complexity and creativity of human communication emphasize this unique characteristic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase 'stimulus free nature of language' refers to a key characteristic of human language by which it can be separated from stimulus-bound animal communication. Unlike many animal communication systems, which are directly triggered by environmental stimuli or internal states, human language is generative and creative. We can discuss past events, plan for the future, or imagine scenarios that do not exist in the real world, hence not bound by specific stimuli.
Language acquisition in children is a subject of much study and debate among psychologists and linguists. Behavioral theories, like those of B.F. Skinner, suggest that language is learned through a system of reinforcement and feedback, while Noam Chomsky introduced the idea of an innate language acquisition device (LAD), emphasizing a biological predisposition for language learning. In reality, language development is a complex interplay of both inborn capacities and environmental influences.
Researchers now generally agree that while certain biological features are designed to help humans understand and produce language, the actual ability to use language is triggered and further developed through interaction with the linguistic environment. Events that defy simple mimicking and rules lost on exceptions, all showcase the enriching complexity and creativity of human language that goes beyond mere stimulus-response patterns.