Susan is a 21-month-old who has just begun to make two-word sentences. Her sentences already reveal the grammar of her native language, as she produces her nouns and verbs in the order that mature speakers of her language use. Chomsky would attribute Susan's quick acquisition of grammatical rules to her _____.
A) intelligence
B) parents' correct use of grammar
C) language acquisition device
D) receiving reinforcement for proper language use

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Chomsky proposed the concept of the language acquisition device (LAD), which is a built-in mechanism that allows children to learn language rules unconsciously. According to Chomsky's theory, children are born with the innate ability to acquire language, and Susan's ability to produce grammatically correct sentences at a young age is evidence of the LAD at work. Intelligence may play a role, but Chomsky's theory emphasizes innate abilities rather than intelligence alone. While parental input and reinforcement may facilitate language acquisition, they are not the primary explanation for Susan's quick acquisition of grammatical rules.

Susan Is a 21-Month-Old Who Has Just Begun to Make