1. LANE 432
Lecture 2
Ch.1

2. Explaining 1st Language Acquisition
Last time, we saw that researchers know/agree on what children acquire through infancy and the early childhood ages.
However, how language development takes place is a controversial issue for researchers.
There are 3 main theoretical perspectives that try to explain language development. They are:
The behaviorist perspective
The innatist perspective
The interactional/development perspective

3. The Behaviorist Perspective
Proponent: B.F Skinner
Hypothesis:
Children hear language > imitate > receive positive reinforcement > continue imitation/practice (until language becomes a habit)
Positive reinforcement:
Praise – Good job..etc.
Successful communication

4. The Behaviorist Perspective
Therefore, behaviorists view imitation & practice as the primary processes in language development.
Imitation: repetition of all/part of someone else’s speech.
Practice: repetitive manipulation of form.

5. The Behaviorist Perspective
Transcript of Peter (24 month old). Notice his repetitions.
Peter: Get more
Adult: You’re gonna put more wheels in the dump truck?
Peter: Dump truck. Wheels. Dump truck.
Adult: What happened to the dump truck?
Peter: (looks under table) Dump truck dump truck fall fall!

6. The Behaviorist Perspective
How children imitate:
When a larger sample of Peter’s speech was analyzed, it was noticed that 30-40% of his speech was imitation of what he heard.
It was also noticed that his imitation was not random. He only imitated words and structures that were new to him.
Therefore, children imitate new words and structures. When these new elements are solidly grounded in their speech, they stop imitating them and move on to new elements.

7. The Behaviorist Perspective
Other examples that show how imitation is not random include:
(Randall had a sore on his hand)
Mother: We need to take you to the doctor.
Randall: Why? So he can doc my little bump?
Randall formed the verb ‘doc’ from the noun ‘doctor’. Similar to
Farmers- Farm
Swimmers- Swim
Actors- Act
Therefore, he is not just imitating. He also overgeneralized a grammar rule.

8. The Behaviorist Perspective
Other examples:
David at his older sister’s birthday party heard his father say:
Father: I’d like to propose a toast.
Minutes later David said:
David: I’d like to propose a piece of bread.
He was so focused on the new expression “I’d like to propose”

9. The Behaviorist Perspective
Other examples:
Randall (3 years old) was looking for a towel to dry his hands. He said:
You took all the towels away because I can’t dry my hands.
All these examples show that imitation & practice alone cannot explain some of the forms used by children. They create new forms & new uses of words.
Therefore, behaviorism is not a satisfactory explanation of the complex grammar that children acquire.

10. The Innatist Perspective
Proponent: Noam Chomsky.
Hypothesis:
Children are born with an innate ability to discover the underlying rules of the language they are exposed to.
This innate ability is related to universal grammar.
Universal Grammar: Innate linguistic knowledge, which consists a set of principles common to all languages.

11. The Innatist Perspective
Chomsky argued that the behaviorist theory failed to explain the logical language acquisition process because children are exposed to incomplete sentences and slips of the tongue, yet they are able to distinguish what’s right from what’s wrong..
Therefore, a child’s brain is not an empty slate which is filled up by imitation.

12. The Innatist Perspective
Researchers of this perspective argue that languages have very complex grammar rules that cannot be acquired simply by imitating and practicing.
The innatist perspective emphasize the fact that almost all children successfully acquire their native language, or more than one language in a multilingual community.

13. The innatist Perspective
(CPH) the critical period hypothesis is linked to the innatist perspective.
CPH states that all animals including humans are genetically programmed to acquire certain kinds of knowledge or skills at specific times in life. Beyond those ‘critical periods’ it is either difficult or impossible to acquire the skills.

14. The Innatist Perspective
With regards to language, the CPH suggests that children who are not exposed to language in infancy and early childhood will never acquire language.
An example that favors the CPH: The story of Genie.
13 years old
Abused & locked for 11 years

15. Thank You
Have a lovely day