Explaining Language Development
Skinner & Operant Conditioning: Skinner believed that we can
explain language development with familiar behavioral principles, such
as association (of the sights of things with the sounds of words);
imitation (of the words and syntax modeled by others); and reinforcement
(with smiles and hugs when the child says something right). In
other words, NURTURE plays the biggest role in the development of
language.
Chomsky & Inborn Universal Grammar: While linguist Noam Chomsky
agreed that we do "learn" the language in which we are raised, he
pointed out that children generate all sorts of sentences they have
never heard and, therefore could not be imitating. Additionally,
many of the errors young children make result from overgeneralization
of grammatical rules, such as adding -ed to make the past tense
(e.g., "I holded the baby" or "I runned to the store"). They are
certainly not imitating parents when they make these errors.
Syntax seems to be particular "hard-wired". You will not hear
children say things like, "She an apple ate." |
THINKING & LANGUAGE
Linguist Benjamin Whorf contended that language determines the way
we think.
Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis or Linguistic Determination:
Whorf's hypothesis that language determines the way we think.
Animals & Language
Honeybees communicate with other worker bees by engaging in an
intricate "dance". The dance in forms other bees of the direction
and distance of a food source.
Primates have learned to communicate with American Sign Language
or by using symbols. The most well-known are Washoe (a chimp) and
KoKo (a gorilla) who were both taught sign language. Some of these
apes have been found to create new words and sign spontaneously with
other apes.**While primate "language" seems very impressive, critics
point out that apes learn Concept with great difficulty (unlike
humans) and have a very hard time learning (if they ever do) proper
syntax. |