Universal Grammar refers to innate linguistic knowledge that guides children in language acquisition by defining the range of possible human languages and providing a procedure for learning the correct grammar. According to Chomsky, Universal Grammar is a theory about the nature of possible grammars. It helps children acquire language through principles, which are invariant properties of language, and parameters, a small set of dimensions along which languages can vary, such as the head-position parameter determining word order and the WH-parameter related to question formation.

1. KIRAN NAZIR
MAM SUMAIYYA AZAM

2. CONTEXT
 Universal Grammar

3. WHAT IS UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR?
Innate linguistic knowledge which guides
children during language acquisition.
• defines the range of possible human
languages
• gives an acquisition procedure for picking the
correct grammar (LAD)

4. DEFINITION OF UG
According to Chomsky “The theory of
human I-languages ….. That identifies the I-
languages that are humanly accessible
under normal conditions.”
In other words, UG is a theory about
the nature of possible grammars of human
languages.

5. UG AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
 UG helps in two ways:
1. Principles
Certain invariant properties of
language.
2. Parameters
A small set of dimensions along
which languages can vary.

6. PARAMETERS
A small set of dimensions along which
language vary.

7. HEAD-POSITION PARAMETER
The relative positioning of heads with
respects to their complements is one-word
order parameter along which languages
differ; it is termed the Head-Position
Parameter.

8. WH-PARAMETER