Lecture on Language Development

Introduction

• Language development is one of the most significant achievements of human beings.
• As infants, humans can decipher sounds into words, grammatical rules, etc., without formal training.
• Focus of the lecture: Three main theories of language development.

Nativist (Innatist) Perspective

• Key Proponent: Noam Chomsky.
• Main Idea: Children are born with an innate ability to learn language.
• Language Acquisition Device (LAD): A theoretical brain mechanism that enables language learning.
  • Not tied to a specific brain region.
  • Supports the concept of universal grammar shared across all languages (e.g., nouns, verbs).
• Critical Period:
  • From birth to around age 8 or 9 is the optimal time for language learning.
  • LAD operates most effectively during this period.
  • Post-critical period, learning a new language becomes more challenging.

Learning Theory

• Main Idea: Language acquisition occurs through reinforcement.
• Children learn words through positive reinforcement (e.g., parental approval when a child says "mama").
• Limitations:
  • Does not account for the ability to produce new words or unique sentences.

Interactionist Approach

• Also known as the Social Interactionist Approach.
• Key Proponent: Vygotsky.
• Main Idea: Language development is a result of interaction between biological and social factors.
  • Emphasizes the child's desire to communicate with adults as a motivation for language learning.
  • Social interaction is crucial in the development process.

Conclusion

• All three theories contribute significantly to understanding language development.
• Emphasizes the complexity and effort involved in language acquisition from an early age.