Language Acquisition

This paper will present a brief overview of the subject of child language acquisition, will give four of the major theoretical outlines for the same, and will conclude with commentary on the differing views of language acquisition and directions for future research.

There is a basic dispute over the subject of child language acquisition which exposes a nerve between the nature versus nurture controversy. In its most basic form, the innatists, led by linguist Noam Chomsky, believe that children are biologically preprogrammed for languages. In this view, the way a child learns to speak is more a function of the genetic makeup and ethnic heritage. In opposition, the social interactionists maintain that language is acquired from cues in the environment given by parents, peers, and other members of society. Both sides, however, acknowledge that there is indeed a biological basis for language, but the dis

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m, the child learns grammar and vocabulary as a process of interaction with peers, and with the outside world. In fact, the very nature of this approach necessitates that a social interaction take place between the child and some other person that has already mastered some of the basic constructs of language (Gelman, 1988; McCarthy, 1975). Theoretically, there is also ample basis for a well-defined sequential bias for semantic relations within early language acquisition. Under this approach, the variety and frequency of certain semantic phrases are examined for their use within a contextual situation. For instance, in an observed session, if a child uses the same word in the same way, combined with the same general contextual elements more than once, then it is clear under this approach that the child-understands the basic structure and nature of that word or phrases. In this sense, there is a basic difference in language theory between this and other approaches. When a child uses the word "ma-ma" to mean mother, but also uses the same word to mean food or ball, there is little semantic linkage. However, as the child grows older, and in this theory interacts with others and is rewarded by parents for putting the words tog
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Greenfield Smith, Noam Chomsky, Institute Technology, Peter Jusczyk, Fletcher Garman, , language acquisition, Cambridge Gelman, Smith JH, SL Ed, Academic McCarthy, language development, greenfield smith, pivot words, child language, child learns, greenfield smith 1976, child language acquisition, smith 1976, gelman etal 1988, mccarthy 1975, fletcher garman, outside world, fletcher garman 1986, theory language acquisition,
Approximate Word count = 1627
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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