Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct?
Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker have brought to the linguistic arena the terms Universal Grammar (UG), Generative Grammar (GG) and Language Instinct. UG/GG are based on the premise that human babies are born with an intact, generalized language instinct – language somehow is already preconfigured in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Latvia Press
2014-04-01
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| Series: | Baltic Journal of English Language, Literature and Culture |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.lu.lv/bjellc/article/view/333 |
| _version_ | 1811318477219168256 |
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| author | Teri McCarthy |
| author_facet | Teri McCarthy |
| author_sort | Teri McCarthy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker have brought to the linguistic arena the terms Universal Grammar (UG), Generative Grammar (GG) and Language Instinct. UG/GG are based on the premise that human babies are born with an intact, generalized language instinct – language somehow is already preconfigured in their brains – so that much of the complex structures of human language is encoded in the human genetic inheritance. In this paper I look at the theories of language instinct, UG and GG to determine if these theories have a grounding in empirical science brought about by new technologies and new research. I also ask the question: If we indeed do have a language instinct, should it have an impact on how we view languages and teach them?
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:26:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51ee2426e82f4dc0adc1096f1d775306 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1691-9971 2501-0395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:26:08Z |
| publishDate | 2014-04-01 |
| publisher | University of Latvia Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Baltic Journal of English Language, Literature and Culture |
| spelling | doaj.art-51ee2426e82f4dc0adc1096f1d7753062022-12-22T02:47:00ZengUniversity of Latvia PressBaltic Journal of English Language, Literature and Culture1691-99712501-03952014-04-014Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct?Teri McCarthy0Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker have brought to the linguistic arena the terms Universal Grammar (UG), Generative Grammar (GG) and Language Instinct. UG/GG are based on the premise that human babies are born with an intact, generalized language instinct – language somehow is already preconfigured in their brains – so that much of the complex structures of human language is encoded in the human genetic inheritance. In this paper I look at the theories of language instinct, UG and GG to determine if these theories have a grounding in empirical science brought about by new technologies and new research. I also ask the question: If we indeed do have a language instinct, should it have an impact on how we view languages and teach them? https://journal.lu.lv/bjellc/article/view/333Language InstinctUniversal GrammarGenerative GrammarChomskyPinkerInnateness of Language |
| spellingShingle | Teri McCarthy Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct? Baltic Journal of English Language, Literature and Culture Language Instinct Universal Grammar Generative Grammar Chomsky Pinker Innateness of Language |
| title | Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct? |
| title_full | Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct? |
| title_fullStr | Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct? |
| title_short | Language and Humanity: Is It More Than Mere Instinct? |
| title_sort | language and humanity is it more than mere instinct |
| topic | Language Instinct Universal Grammar Generative Grammar Chomsky Pinker Innateness of Language |
| url | https://journal.lu.lv/bjellc/article/view/333 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT terimccarthy languageandhumanityisitmorethanmereinstinct |