Discuss what you consider to be the importance of social environment and innate faculties in acquisition of language? - Discusses theories behind how and why a child learns language.

The acquisition of language has been a fascination for over 2000 years because of the belief that Ontogenesis (the study of linguistic development) would give clues to Phylogenesis (the linguistic development of the human race). The linguistic development of an individual is one of many human functions which have been included in the 'nature vs. nurture' question, and linguists and psychologists had formulated many different theories as to how children use information possessed about language, either …

…to adult language throughout the critical period, must be present in order for a child to develop and become a proficient adult speaker. Bibliography: - An Introduction to Language and Society Martin Montgomery 2nd edition 1995 - The Language Instinct Steven Pinkir - Language Development Edited by Andrew Lock and Eunice Fisher 1984 - An Introduction into the Nature and Functions of Language H Jackson & P Stockwell 1996 - Language Development in Children Atkinson, Kilby and Roca