Naom Chomsky’s Language Development Theory : A
Comprehensive Overview
Presented By- Soumya Mishra
Roll No- IMED24(A)-001
Department of TEP
Rajendra University, Balangir
Contents
Language Development
Theories of Language Development
Naom Chomsky
Key components
Innate hypothesis
Language Acquisition Device
Universal Grammar
Poverty of Stimulus
Implications
Limitations
conclusions
Language Development
Language development refers to the process by
which humans acquire the ability to understand,
produce, and use language.
It is a complex and multi-faceted process that
involves the development of various cognitive, social,
and emotional skills.
Children progress through various stages of language
development.
Theories of Language Development
Behaviouristic Nativism
Cognitive
Interactionism
Processing
Naom Chomsky
(Born- December 7, 1928)
Avram Naom Chomsky
American professor and public
intellectual known for his work in
linguistics, political activism, social
criticism.
Sometimes called “the father of modern
linguistics”
Nativist
Innate Universal
Hypothesis Grammar
Key
Components Poverty of Language
the Acquisition
Stimulus Device
Innate Hypothesis
Chomsky proposes that humans are born with an innate capacity for language
acquisition.
Language acquisition is facilitated by innate
abilities
Innate abilities are hardwired into the human
brain
Language Acquisition Device
Chomsky proposes that the human brain contains a language acquisition device (LAD), which is
responsible for language acquisition.
LAD is a specialized module in the brain
LAD is dedicated to language processing
Universal Grammar
Chomsky suggests that all humans share a universal grammar, which
underlies all human languages.
Universal grammar is innate
Universal grammar provides the foundation for language acquisition
Poverty of the Stimulus
Chomsky argues that children are not exposed to enough linguistic data to
learn language through conditioning or imitation alone.
Children require innate abilities to recognize and generate grammatically correct
sentence
Innate abilities compensate for lack of linguistic data
Implications
Recognise the innate ability for language acquisition and
providing environment.
Universal grammar underlying all human languages will
help to acquire multiple languages.
Example: Chomsky's theory has implications for language
teaching and learning, suggesting that language instruction
should focus on facilitating the natural process of language
acquisition.
Limitations
Lack of empirical evidence
Overemphasis on innateness
Too broad
Example: Some critics argue that Chomsky's theory places too much emphasis on
innateness, neglecting the role of environmental factors in language acquisition.
Conclusion
Noam Chomsky's Language Development Theory is a comprehensive
and influential theory that has shaped our understanding of language
acquisition.
Recognizes the complexity of language acquisition
Emphasizes the role of innate abilities
Provides a framework for understanding language development
