Genetic basis of grammar

Cards (6)

  • Genetic basis of grammar - speed of acquisition
    • Adults don’t teach children language
    • facilitated by genetic factors = evident in speed & ease children acquire language without explicit instruction from adults
  • Genetic basis for grammar - critical period

    • when language acquisition most efficient
    • After = becomes increasingly challenging to learn a language.
  • genetic basis for grammar - poverty of stimulus
    • Can't learn from exposure alone - too many words & combinations
    • Degenerate Input - Segmentation problem, Errors: hesitations, slips of tongue
    • insufficient stimulus for grammar deduction, no neagtive learning
  • Segmentation problem
    • spoken language - no clear pauses or breaks between words
    • how do children know where words start & end
  • Genetic basis for grammar - Convergence of grammars
    Across diverse linguistic environments = convergence in grammatical structures acquired by children, suggesting innate language-learning mechanisms
  • Genetic basis for grammar - specificity to species
    • Syntax, or grammatical structure = uniquely human trait
    • indicating biological basis for language acquisition & use