Who believed language is not learned, but innate through maturation?

Who believed language is not learned, but innate through maturation?

• A. Noam Chomsky
• B. B. F. Skinner
• C. Jean Piaget
• D. Carl Rogers

Answer: (A)

Language development is best explained by an innate capacity in the brain that comes online as we mature. Noam Chomsky argued that children are born with an internal set of grammatical principles—universal grammar—and a language acquisition mechanism that guides how they acquire syntax and structure. This view suggests that, beyond what they hear, kids are equipped with built‑in knowledge that helps them generate and understand language rapidly, even with limited or imperfect input. The idea is reinforced by observations like the quick emergence of complex grammar in early childhood, which seems to outpace what would be expected from imitation alone. This perspective contrasts with other prominent viewpoints. B. F. Skinner emphasized learning through reinforcement and imitation, treating language as a behavior shaped by environmental cues. Jean Piaget linked language development to overall cognitive development, arguing that thinking and symbolic understanding drive language growth rather than an innate language module by itself. Carl Rogers focused on the person-centered therapeutic process and personal growth, rather than innate linguistic structures. Because the question centers on an innate, maturation-driven capacity for language, Chomsky’s position is the best fit.

Language development is best explained by an innate capacity in the brain that comes online as we mature. Noam Chomsky argued that children are born with an internal set of grammatical principles—universal grammar—and a language acquisition mechanism that guides how they acquire syntax and structure. This view suggests that, beyond what they hear, kids are equipped with built‑in knowledge that helps them generate and understand language rapidly, even with limited or imperfect input. The idea is reinforced by observations like the quick emergence of complex grammar in early childhood, which seems to outpace what would be expected from imitation alone.

This perspective contrasts with other prominent viewpoints. B. F. Skinner emphasized learning through reinforcement and imitation, treating language as a behavior shaped by environmental cues. Jean Piaget linked language development to overall cognitive development, arguing that thinking and symbolic understanding drive language growth rather than an innate language module by itself. Carl Rogers focused on the person-centered therapeutic process and personal growth, rather than innate linguistic structures. Because the question centers on an innate, maturation-driven capacity for language, Chomsky’s position is the best fit.