Language Acquisition Theories, Stages, and Criticisms

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition is the process by which we learn to communicate effectively and meaningfully in a
target language. How this happens and the process is facilitated are both highly contested research
topics. There are four main theories of language acquisition:

linguistic theory;

behaviorist theory;

cognitive theory; and

interactionist theory.

Linguistic Learning Theory of Language Development

The linguistic learning theory of language development comes from the work of Noam Chomsky, an
American linguist who is also regarded as the initiator of modern cognitive science. Chomsky's linguistic
theory is based on the idea that people are born with an innate ability to learn a language. He argued
that all human brains are pre-wired with a language acquisition device. This explains why the linguistic
theory is frequently called the innatist theory of language acquisition.

The innatist theory maintains a core assumption that environmental and cognitive factors alone cannot
justify the speed and aptitude for language acquisition that happens during childhood. This timeframe of
rapid language acquisition forms the basis of the critical period hypothesis. The critical period hypothesis
refers to a theory that there is a specific window of time during which all humans display an enormous
potential to cultivate native or even native-like proficiency in a language. This critical period appears to
fade at about age twelve, or around the onset of puberty.

Stages of Language Development

According to linguistic theory, there are three main stages of language acquisition:
The Babbling Stage (birth to four months): sounds may seem random or spontaneous, but in fact,
language acquisition is very much underway even though the precise language being acquired will be
indecipherable. A major shift occurs at about ten months when clues emerge that shed light on the
specific language being acquired.

One Word Stage (age one): This stage is noted for vocabulary growth, especially the acquisition of
simple, high-frequency words. For example, this is the time when ma (mom) or da (dad) will first
emerge.

Two Word Stage (age two years): The defining feature of this stage is the deployment of telegraphic
speech, that is, short and direct utterances that convey a core meaning without the grammatical
features of the language. Content words will take center stage while function words or inflected endings
are omitted. This may contribute to feelings of frustration as the communication will be incomplete or
inadequate. As language development accelerates during this stage and communication improves
ineffectiveness, syntactic rules will begin to be pieced together. This can include concepts such as
placing adjectives before nouns for English speakers.

By the time children reach school age, they will be able to employ complete sentences and meaningful
utterances. They will also understand that some words have multiple meanings. Nonetheless,
overgeneralization may be frequent. This refers to the misapplication of rules in situations where those
rules are not applied, such as he hitted the ball.

Criticisms of Linguistic Theory

One of the most striking limitations of Chomsky's work is that it is purely theoretical and it does not
draw on empirical studies with children. Instead, the linguistic theory largely relies on studies of traumas
or tragic circumstances where the subjects attempted to gain or regain linguistic competence due to
disruption of the hypothesized time window.

Another key limitation of the innatist theory is that it lacks neuroscientific evidence. For example, brain
imaging data simply cannot support the existence of a language organ or language acquisition device. In
fact, research increasingly finds that language is not as localized within the brain as was previously
believed.

However, there are strong indications of a sensitive period when competence may occur more easily or
naturally. Still, here is a lack of compelling evidence to support the existence of a critical period with a
finite endpoint. Language acquisition can happen in other life stages, although it may be more difficult
or have weaker ultimate success.
Behaviorist Theory of Language

The behavior theory of language acquisition is rooted in physiologist Ivan Pavlov's famous dog
experiments, which led to worldwide recognition of classical conditioning. Classical conditioning states
that someone (or something) comes to associate two things together in either a positive or a negative
way; for example, a dog salivating when someone who feeds them approaches, even if that someone
does not actually have food on them. Psychologist John B. Watson then seized on Pavlov's theories and
used them to argue that language production results from stimuli which produces an association.

B.F. Skinner then further articulated the theory of operant conditioning, which argues that repeated
reinforcements can strengthen or facilitate a behavioral response. These inputs can be crafted to bring
about a desired or target behavior. In all these cases, the behaviorist perspective is that all learning
equates to a permanent change in behavior. For Skinner, nurturing or shaping by parental figures plays a
significant role in language development, even more so than nature. He argued that humans are born
with a blank slate, and they mimic the verbal behavior of caregivers. Humans then learn language by
imitating adults, and the positive reinforcements they receive act as rewards that encourage the child's
long-term language development.

What Is Language Acquisition?

Do you know what word you first spoke? Have you ever considered how many words you have learned
over your lifetime? Many psychologists estimate we learn around 3,500 words a year between our first
birthday and before we are 30. We grow from infants without language to chatterboxes with a gift for
gab, and researchers are fascinated by how this happens.

Psychologists have different theories on language acquisition, or the process by which we learn to speak,
write, or even use sign language in meaningful ways to communicate.

Theories of Language Acquisition

Behaviorists, like B.F. Skinner (who lived from 1904-1990), argued that language acquisition and
development are learned behaviors. Behaviorists believe we learn by associating events, known as
classical conditioning. We also learn through rewards and punishments, a process known as operant
conditioning. Another aspect of behaviorism is that we learn by observation and imitation.
How do these theories of learning apply to language acquisition? Over repeated exposures, infants may
learn to associate an object with a sound or word for that object. When an infant babbles 'dada,' the
infant is rewarded by smiling and happy parents who cheer and reward their child's efforts at
communicating. And infants may learn language by observing caregivers and imitating their sounds.

Linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky (born in 1928) has added to how behaviorists like Skinner think
about language development. Chomsky believes that infants and children learn language at a speed that
cannot simply be explained by the laws of behaviorism. According to Chomsky, children learning
language put words together in new ways, creating meaningful sentences they have never heard before.
Chomsky argues that children learn rules of language and apply them in their own way, often
inaccurately at first. Because children would not have heard adults using rules of language so
inaccurately, Chomsky came up with another theory on language development.

Chomsky's linguistic theory states that we are born with an innate ability to learn language, and with
little guidance, children will naturally learn language. Chomsky argues we must be born with a language
acquisition device, an area in our brains that makes learning language a natural event. As evidence, he
points to the idea that children all over the world learn language in similar ways, regardless of their
culture or the language they learn to speak.

Recent research on language seeks to understand whether or not humans have a critical period for
acquiring language. As we age, language acquisition becomes more difficult, especially for adults
learning a new language. Children learning new languages outperform adults learning new languages in
terms of learning vocabulary, applying rules of grammar, and speaking with the correct accent. The
critical period hypothesis states that we have a time frame for learning new language, and once that
time is over, language acquisition becomes much more difficult.

Stages of Language AcquisitionWhen you see a child chattering to their parents, it's hard to believe they
were born without language. By the time infants are four months old, they begin the babbling stage of
language. During the babbling stage, infants make seemingly random and spontaneous sounds, cooing,
squealing, and gurgling. At this point, outsiders listening in would not be able to tell what language the
baby is learning. Around ten months of age, babbling starts to sound more like the language the child is
learning.

The one-word stage happens around the time the child turns one year and begins to utter sounds that
have meaning, like 'ma' for mom, 'da' for dad, and 'wa-wa' for water. They begin to speak in simple
words, like 'dog' or 'up.'

What is Noam Chomsky's theory of language development?

Noam Chomsky is closely linked with the linguistic theory of language development, also widely known
as the innatist theory. The cornerstone of his theory is that all humans possess an innate or pre-wired
capacity to acquire language. He proposed that humans are born with a language acquisition device.
This makes possible the rapid and expansive language development until approximately age 12. After
that point, he argues that human capacity for language acquisition fades significantly.

What are the major theories of language acquisition?

Language acquisition has been a contentious and hotly researched topic as people seek to understand
how language is acquired. There are four major theories that have largely shaped our understanding of
language acquisition. The earliest theory was behaviorism. Later, the cognitive theory of language
development emerged before it was primarily surpassed by the linguistic theory, also known as the
innatist theory. The fourth and most recent is the interactionist theory.

Who proposed behaviorist theory of language acquisition

The behaviorist theory of language acquisition grew out of earlier dog salivation experiments done by
the Russian scientist Pavlov. These early experiments were aimed at behavior in general, while B.F.
Skinner articulated the application of behaviorist theory to language acquisition.

Reference

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