This document discusses the innateness hypothesis, which proposes that humans have an innate ability to acquire language. It presents arguments both for and against this hypothesis. Proponents argue that the speed of language acquisition and universal grammar patterns show we have innate linguistic faculties. However, critics argue that similarities between languages result from common origins, not innateness, and that brain specializations are learned, not innate. The document explores this debate over the role of nature versus nurture in developing language skills.

1. Members: Pamela Ramirez
ConstanzaRisso
Class: Applied linguistic
Teacher: Ms. Maria Angelica Fuica
25th September, 2013 Concepción.

2. First of all, do we have innate knowledge? Animals have it e.g.: Little crocodiles that without
their mother know what to do to survive. Also, humans have it e g. babies that know that they
have to suckle to obtain their food.This is also called instinct. If it is true, can we have an innate
knowledge to acquire a language? A lot of people are against this idea and many other support
it, but during this essay we are going to develop this topic through these two points of view
which it will permit you to have a clear idea about it.
To begin with, this hypothesis was created by Noam Chomsky and it consists in the thought
that we have innate elements which we were born with, that permit us to learn our language
easily. Besides, it is more complex than that, because it explains that this capacity comes from a
device in the brain with the necessary information such as basic grammar rules to learn easily a
language. This basic grammar rules are called by Chomsky “Universal grammar”, which is the
essence of the human language. For this reason, it is the system of principles conditions and
rules that are elements or properties of all human language. Then, we can say that the existence
of this universal grammar support the innateness hypothesis.
Another idea that support this hypothesis, is the fact that the language acquisition will
become difficult without this innateness grammar. We need a basis to support the acquisition of
the language, and without it, the acquisition would become a more complex process. Moreover
there is something innate in the human language that animals do not have, because animals
cannot acquire a language.
Furthermore, Chomsky said that children acquire language in a very short period of time,
because they have an innate facility to learn their native language easily. Besides, it is at high
speed when they hearing it from others. Due to this, we can say that children acquisition of the
language is related with the result of communicative functions and innate facilities. For this
reason, the children between two and three years old required to stay in constant interaction
with other people to acquire the capacity to learn the language, in this case English language.

3. However, is not enough that children hear sounds. They need to make sounds to
communicate with his/her parents, family or other people. In addition to this, during the first
years infants produce “cooing “and “babbling” noises to communicate. These are the earliest
ways of imitation for the babies. For instance, the baby in his/her months of life is practicing the
movement of lips, palate and tongue that are required to produce correct speech.
Since three or four months the baby will begin to produce consonants sounds such as “b” and
“d”. The typical vowel combinations are: ma-ma-ma-ma and da-da-da-da. They say these words,
because babies cannot understand the meaning of the words. In addition to this, they listens
carefully when humans speak and tries to talk back using “babbling” sounds. Also, babies
through words can express emotions. Between nine to twelve months they can understand the
idea of a conversation and they can produce simple words,make repetition and they shake their
head for say “no”.
Nevertheless, there are many people that said that the innate hypothesis is not correct. An
example is Geoffrey Sampson who wrote in his document there is no language instinct “people
as Chomsky and Pinker are based on false premises, or they embody logical fallacies. There is
no reason to doubt that languages are wholly learned cultural creations”
Also, Sverker Johansson exposes in the document “universal grammarand innateness
hypothesis”,his doubts about the innate implication in universality. One of his ideas is that many
languages around the world are similar because of their same origin. So, it does not imply
innateness knowledge about language acquisition. In this same topic, Thomas Schonnenman
says that the similarities about languages are of a simple nature saying that "all languages
attempt to communicate the same sorts of semantic information".
Moreover, in a more specific informationRalph-Axel Mueller, in a paper entitled “Innateness,
Autonomy, Universality?” uttered that the specializations of specific parts of the brain are not
programed into the genome. For this reason, it is not correct to say that any of the higher brain
functionsare innate.

4. To sum up, we can say that the innateness or mentalism hypothesis is the innate facility to
learn a language which it is located in a specific device in our brain. Besides, it affect the time
that takes to acquire the learning.
Finally, in this essay, we discovered that many Scientifics have made interesting contributions
to this hypothesis and many others who are against it have certain points that let us think about
this hypothesis with a critical thinking.

5. Bobliography:
Paul E. Griffiths, What is innateness?Recovered in 16th September, 2013.PDF.
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/108/1/What_is_innateness.pdf
Johansson, S. (1991).Universal grammar and the innateness hypothesis.University of
Lund.Recovered in 16th September, 2013.PDF.
http://hem.hj.se/~lsj/ug/ug.pdf
Sampson, G. (2007).There is no language instinct. Recovered in 16th September,
2013.From Geoffrey Sampson webpage.
http://www.grsampson.net/Atin.html
Dresher, L. (1996).The Geese Rethink Innateness.recovered in 16th September, 2013.
From CHASS (computing in the humanities and social sciences) webpage.
http://homes.chass.utoronto.ca/~dresher/col9.html
Yule, George. (2010).The study of Language.First language acquisition.United States:
Cambridge University Press.