Who is the main proponent of the nativist view of language acquisition?

Who is the main proponent of the nativist view of language acquisition?

• A. Noam Chomsky; B.F. Skinner; Jean Piaget; Lev Vygotsky.
• B. Noam Chomsky
• C. B.F. Skinner
• D. Jean Piaget

Answer: (A)

Language ability is considered innate by the nativist view, which holds that children are born with an internal capacity for grammar. Noam Chomsky is the primary proponent of this perspective. He argued for a universal grammar and a language acquisition device that enable children to pick up the rules of their language from limited input, explaining how they rapidly acquire complex syntax and generate novel sentences. This stands in contrast to behaviorist ideas that language is learned mainly through imitation and reinforcement, and to cognitive-development and sociocultural views that emphasize thinking or social interaction in shaping language. Chomsky’s claim is that certain aspects of language are biologically built into our minds, not just the result of environmental practice.

Language ability is considered innate by the nativist view, which holds that children are born with an internal capacity for grammar. Noam Chomsky is the primary proponent of this perspective. He argued for a universal grammar and a language acquisition device that enable children to pick up the rules of their language from limited input, explaining how they rapidly acquire complex syntax and generate novel sentences.

This stands in contrast to behaviorist ideas that language is learned mainly through imitation and reinforcement, and to cognitive-development and sociocultural views that emphasize thinking or social interaction in shaping language. Chomsky’s claim is that certain aspects of language are biologically built into our minds, not just the result of environmental practice.