Universidad Catlica de la Ssma.

Concepcin Education Department, English Pedagogy

Universal Grammar Theory

Names: Camila Gonzlez Brbara Mercado

Date: 30-09-13

Introduction

The next essay is about a language theory called Universal Grammar. It is a theory of knowledge is not a theory of behavior that was created by Noam Chomsky. In contrast to taxonomic approach of traditional grammar, universal grammar adopts cognitive approach. Cognition is the study of processes by means of which what human beings get to know the world. Human beings have tacit knowledge of grammar. That is humans know how to form and interpret expressions in their native languages. They know but they may not explain how they get this ability. This is because they have no conscious awareness of the processes involved. He also added terms like competence and performance.

Universal Grammar theory proposed that the ability to learn grammar is hard-wired into the brain. The theory created by Chomsky tells us that the language is not necessary to be taught and that there are properties that all natural human languages share. It is a matter of observation and experimentation to determine precisely what abilities are innate and what properties are shared by all languages. Not only Noam Chomsky has had a great influence on this topic, Richard Montague has been one of the important linguists to support this theory. Here we can see that Chomsky believed in the possibility of learning without being taught, just using the brain. Before, he criticized Skinners theory, saying that a child could not learn just by the environmental action. Instead of that he expressed that learning is a result of the knowledge that we all have in our brain; that is called Universal Grammar. In that theory we can see that knowledge of basic grammar is natural for us (theory based on people with normal conditions, not conditions of extreme deprivation) and that there are certain factors in our brains that help us to acquire our native language. We strongly believe that childrens brain is fully adapted to learn a native language and that begins long before the first babbles or the first words. We can also begin a dialogue with a touch, a special look, a silly sound, or a sentence. For example, if mother smiles, baby smiles; if mother blows raspberries, baby smiles; etc. But it's also is mix with environmental stimulation. Without the stimulation of the child's mother the child would not respond to the stimulus and the brain will not work and there would be no communication; that is why we are don't completely agree with Chomsky and Montague. The characteristics of learning readiness are developed rather than taught and only through numerous concrete interactions with the world can a young child prepare to benefit from formal instruction later. David Elkind, noted author on child development Learning progress may actually be slowed by overly academic preschool experiences that introduce formalized learning experiences too early for a childs developmental status. Rebecca Marcon, Developmental Psychologist

With these examples we can see that learning is important to innate characteristics of our brain, but environmental education and school education are also very important.

Chomsky says that native speakers have grammatical competence in their native language. Chomsky made difference between competence and performance. According to him while competence is knowledge of language performance is the actual use of language in concrete situations. Universal grammar is consider competence because it tells what someone should know to have competence in a language.

"Linguistic theory is concerned primarily with an ideal speaker-listener, in a completely homogeneous speech-community, who knows its (the speech community's) language perfectly and is unaffected by such grammatically irrelevant conditions as memory limitations, distractions, shifts of attention and interest, and errors (random or characteristic) in applying his knowledge of this language in actual performance." ~Chomsky,1965

The language, according to Chomsky, is designed to communicate an infinite range of messages, ideas and emotions. Therefore, language is a constantly evolving construction, subject to review by those who use it for speech or writing. Children, in particular, often use language in creative ways due to the fact that they are not familiar with the proper way of using words and phrases.

We have seen how the theory of Chomsky is credited, but also criticized:

Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar does not have a general admiration. Critics argue that Chomsky is guilty of over-generalize. Many of the most ardent opponents said that Chomsky does not have the support of empirical research. Others blame his theory because it fails to take into account environmental factors, such as the meaning of language in which they speak to the infants and the influences the acquisition of grammatical rules. During his career, Chomsky gave his criticism of his theory in certain instances, modifying and enlarging the spectrum of the same.

James Dale Williams, author of "Teacher's Grammar Book," writes that Chomsky has

responded to criticisms in a particular instance. In defense of the notion that children can make progress in the syntax of the language, even if the sentences to which they are exposed are meaningless.

Chomsky's ideas have had a strong influence on researchers of language acquisition in children, although some linguistics argue very strongly against Chomsky's theories, and instead advocate emergentist or connectionist theories, explaining language with a number of general processing mechanisms in the brain that interact with the extensive and complex social environment in which language is used and learned.

That is how we know that Chomsky's theory is highly valued by some and criticized by others and we can see that it only works with help of other concepts such as the input and environmental action.

Conclusion

During the realization of this essay, we realized the importance of this grammar theory based on natural ability of comprehension that all human brain have. After that we could answered some of Chomskys question that summarizes the aims of linguistics 1. What constitutes knowledge of language? The linguists duty is to describe what people know about language.

2. How is such knowledge acquired? A linguist has to discover how people acquire this knowledge.

3. How is such knowledge put to use? The linguists have to see how people use the language knowledge acquired.

Sometimes there is a fourth question also.

4. What are the physical mechanisms that serve as the material basis for this system of knowledge and for the use of this knowledge? There must be some physical correlate to this mental knowledge. That is there should be a link between mind and brain.