Noam Chomsky's 'Language Acquisition Device (LAD)' theory is foundational.
Nativism (Chomsky):
Humans are born with a 'Universal Grammar.'
An innate LAD allows rapid acquisition of any language.
Evidence:
- Children worldwide develop language in similar sequences
- Babbling → One word → Two words → Sentences
- Children apply grammar rules they were never taught
Developmental stages:
0-6 months: Babbling
12 months: First words
18 months: Vocabulary explosion (50→300 words)
2 years: Two-word combinations
4 years: Complex sentences
The Skinner (environment) vs. Chomsky (innate) debate continues.
Developmental
Language Acquisition
How children learn to speak