Chomsky's Theory and Language Acquisition

     Linguistic theories are quite amazing. Just like behavioral theories (sociology), they show the use of language can be parallelly independent and dependent on grammar. Contextually, Chomsky is more focused on innateness while describing his concept of language acquisition. It seems quite different from Skinner's theory where Skinner observes that imitation is the key mechanism for language acquisition. For instance, immigrant children with English second language often make pronunciation mistakes. But an ideal teacher can improve that with rewards and recognition. That means the Behaviourist theory Skinner confirms that habit-forming mechanism can modify the language acquisition model. 

    In the environment of language learning, language use and acquisition are not the same. The use of language somehow shows a connection between formal teaching and conscious learning while acquisition is a spontaneous process. While watching Netflix foreign series, we naturally catch up on words like "amigo", "Tamam", and "Kadin". This is an example of language acquisition where the meaning of those words no longer becomes a barrier due to subtitles or interest in multiculturalism. Chomsky criticized the Behaviourist theory and stated that the acquisition mechanism is inborn. As the process is "biologically determined", therefore, the neural circuits keep evolving with the language information received from various sources. Interestingly, many cultures show a similar pattern of linguistic development. This pattern further complements Chomsky's LAD in the brain and offers universal linguistic principles to adapt languages. 

    That does not mean a Turkish or Latino Child is born knowing about their corresponding language. The LAD only determines the universally common principles for learning and the children establish the expressions using those principles. The most common examples include the understanding of nouns and verbs. They can easily differentiate the past and present tenses by checking the suffix. Obviously, this is a process of unconscious learning as it is quite funny to think that children are analyzing grammar patterns while eating or playing with toys. This theory of innateness is supported by human anatomy too. For example, our evolved vocal tract can articulate a wide variation of vocal strokes and that is not possible in  Apes or other similar relatives of ours. It seems the change in the vocal tract is a requirement to meet linguistic purposes. Even sign language users can offer complex grammatical expressions instead of simpler gestures. Now a born deaf and dumb cannot use complex linguistic expressions until the innateness serves him/her with those universal principles. 

References

https://www.montsaye.northants.sch.uk/assets/Uploads/English-Language-Summer-Work-2.pdf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/linguistic-theory#