What is Noam Chomsky's Universal Grammar?
Noam Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar (UG) posits that humans are born with an innate capacity for language, hardwired into the brain as a universal set of principles shared across all languages. This 'language acquisition device' enables children to learn complex grammar rules effortlessly, regardless of cultural or environmental differences, emphasizing biology over pure environmental learning.
Key Principles of Chomsky's Theory
Central to UG are concepts like recursion, which allows infinite sentence generation from finite rules, and parameters that account for language variations (e.g., word order). Chomsky argues that poverty of stimulus—limited input from caregivers—supports innateness, as children produce novel sentences beyond what they've heard, challenging behaviorist views of language as mere imitation.
Practical Example: Child Language Development
Consider a child learning English versus Japanese: Despite vastly different syntax (English SVO order vs. Japanese SOV), both acquire their language rapidly by age 5. Under UG, the child adjusts innate parameters to match the input, explaining why errors like overgeneralization ('I goed') occur universally, illustrating the theory's application in developmental linguistics.
Importance and Comparisons to Other Theories
UG revolutionized linguistics by shifting focus to cognitive biology, influencing fields like psychology and AI. Compared to B.F. Skinner's behaviorism, which sees language as conditioned responses, UG rejects environmental determinism. Versus connectionism (e.g., neural networks learning via data), UG emphasizes innate structure over statistical patterns, though critics argue it underplays social interaction in acquisition.