1. Language and the Mind
Prof. R. Hickey
SS 2006
Linguistic Theory and
Language Acquisition
Claudia Berger (LN, GS)
Günther Milbradt (LN, HS)

2. Structure of the Presentation
1. The debate about reality
2. Chomsky‘s Universal Grammar
3. Empiricist Models of Language Acquisition
4. Conclusion

3. 1. The Debate about “Reality“
- Core-problem: “Is there an objective reality, or do we
make our actual world after our own experiences and/or
distinctions?“
- Transferred to the question of langauge acquisition:
1. Language is a thing innate by birth and thus objective. A child
uncovers it over time in whatever way.
2. Language is acquired by a child via hearing and imitating the
language around.

4. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar
- All particular grammars are properties of Universal
Grammar
- UG is located in the language faculty
- The uncovering of a particular grammar is totally
independent of intelligence, logic, or reason

5. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar
Why postulate a Universal Grammar?
- Inadequacy of Input
- Poverty of Stimulus
- We all learn the same concepts
- Similarity between languages
- Logical Problem of language acquisition

6. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar
Parameters and Principles
- Principles: hard-wired layers of UG
- Parameters: partially-wired, modular layers of UG, the modules
of which are fixed by experience
→ Huge leap towards empiricism

7. Objections to Universal Grammar
- Computer Model of the Mind
- Steinberg (1993): “… UG seems to simply serve as a
filing cabinet for problems which are filed away for
later consideration and then forgotten.”
- But: Chomsky himself describes UG as heuristic

8. Empiricism – the Basic Concepts
- Learning language via general cognition/intelligence
- Language and intellect develop side by side

9. Empiricism – the Process Image
- Language as a tool of achieving aims
- Similar needs lead to similar grammar
- Children as sociable beings

10. Objections against Empiricism
- Expressing similar needs does not require a similar
structure of speech
- Example “John”: not sociable, but uses language
for himself
- Example “Laura”: Mentally disabled, but brilliant,
but can express her feelings via poetry

11. Conclusion
- Neither Empiricists, nor Rationalists can explain
language acquisition without problems
- There must be a “disposition” to learn language, but
whether it is empirical or realist, is unanswerable so
far

12. That’s all.
Thank You for Your attention.

13. References
Aitchison, Jean (1998): The Articulate Mammal. An Introduction to
Psycholinguistics, London
Chomsky, Noam (1986): Knowledge of Language. Its Nature, Origin, and
Use, Westport
Chomsky, Noam (1988): Language and Problems of Knowledge,
Cambridge/London
Chomsky, Noam (2002): On Nature and Language, edited by Belletti, A. &
Rizzi, L., Cambridge
Hirschberger, Johannes (1980): Geschichte der Philosophie, 2 Vol.,
Freiburg
Lust, Barbara/Foley, Claire (ed.) (2004): First Language Acquisition. The
Essential Readings, Oxford et al.
Steinberg, Danny D. (1993): Introduction to Psycholinguistics, New York