Chomsky - Innateness

• Children are born with an in-built capacity for language development.
• The brain has a LAD (Language Acquisition Device), that is biologically programmed for speech, and when the brain is exposed to speech, it will automatically be able to start understanding and producing a system of language.
• The LAD (Language Acquisition Device) provides us with an innate understanding and ability to systematically discover the grammatical rules that underpin language.
• The theory is heavily based on the learner’s linguistic competence, which is again an abstract phenomenon.
• The theory places more emphasis on the linguistic competence of adult native speakers, but not enough on the developmental aspects of language acquisition.
• LAD (Language Acquisition Device) is an abstract concept that requires scientific evidence.
• Innateness consists of virtuous errors, various morphemes and grammatical structures.
• Virtuous errors: non-standard utterances from children based upon logical conclusions about grammar and morphology.