Topic > A Study on the Subject of Language Acquisition by Noam Chomsky

LBC Baby TalkEarly language acquisition is the procedure by which human beings come to perceive and understand language. It's not the same as having to learn a language. The acquisition of a language occurs through the human subconscious and when one is a child. Additionally, it involves exposure to speakers, interaction, and a healthy environment. For centuries, children have learned language through a process of imitation, reward and habit. In the 1950s it was a turning point for linguists studying language acquisition because a new proposition was developed. The proposal considered that a language acquisition device, unique to humans, was connected to the brain. Years later, an American linguist named Noam Chomsky introduced the idea that the principles of language acquisition are biologically determined in the human mind and therefore generally transmitted. Interestingly, Chomsky presented this theory without any evidence. According to Jerome Bruner, the whole notion was more of a hypothesis than a theory. There are many similar theories relating to language acquisition. “People at MIT… tend to believe that the language acquisition device simply activates if you are exposed to language. And the rest of us have started to think that we need something beyond exposure. To acquire a language, interaction is necessary” (Berko-Gleason). To fully acquire a language, a child would need exposure to the language, interaction with speakers, and an ambient environment. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Important questions arose in the film as investigators considered whether a baby could learn the characteristics of speech while still in the womb, or whether speech begins the first cry? Dr. Barry Lester attempts to observe and analyze a baby's cries and the differences between each cry. It refers to Module 10: Language Acquisition because Elaine Lau (2012) discusses how “…researchers have investigated whether infants can distinguish between various sounds” (p. 118). Lau also introduces several investigators who performed a similar task to that of Dr. Barry Lester. The researchers observed babies as young as one month old and showed them different sounds to see their various reactions. Children are able to learn the roots of communication at an extremely young age. They are universal listeners, so they recognize all the sounds of the world's languages ​​quite easily. The development of a language for a child begins with the ability to produce sounds. Researcher David Crystal studies the initial phase of language acquisition, which is crucial. He concludes that children are aware of two aspects of language development. It doesn't take long for a child to learn from this and form different intonations. Learning to construct grammar is a complex and abstract problem. Chomsky put linguists on the right track by presenting the theory that a child must possess a special learning device in order to process a formal system, such as grammar. Studying various languages ​​with different inflictions; the developing child is put in a more difficult position. Researcher Dan Slobin provides an example of the differences between the English language and the Turkish language. “The child must very early separate these different levels of processing, as he searches for word meanings, he also searches for relational meanings” (Slobin). Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay.