Deskripsi

One central question in language acquisition research concerns whether the ability to acquire language is innate or learned. The nativist view, famously associated with Noam Chomsky, suggests that humans are biologically predisposed to acquire language. According to this view, children are born with an inherent linguistic capacity or a “language faculty,” which enables them to rapidly and efficiently learn any language they are exposed to. In contrast, the behaviorist perspective, popularized by B.F. Skinner, argues that language is learned through imitation and reinforcement, with children acquiring language through interaction with their caregivers and the environment. These opposing views highlight the ongoing debate about the role of nature versus nurture in language learning.