ENG505 Midterm Short Handouts Lectures 6-10 by VU Gateway

• ENG505 SHORT HANDOUTS · MIDTERM by Vu Gateway · Lesson 06 to 10 · (ENG505) Language Learning Theories · Lesson-06 · GENERATIVISM-1 · Topic-022: Nativism and LAD

What is Chomsky's idea of innateness in language learning?

Chomsky's idea of innateness suggests that children have innate knowledge that helps them learn a language quickly.

What is the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) according to Chomsky?

The LAD is a hypothetical mental mechanism that contains innate knowledge and rules for language acquisition.

How does MacNeill support the existence of LAD?

MacNeill supports the LAD by pointing out the ability to distinguish speech sounds, organize linguistic data, recognize the possibility of certain linguistic systems, and engage in constant evaluation.

What is Chomsky's concept of innateness, and how does it relate to language learning?

Chomsky's idea of innateness refers to the notion that certain fundamental language knowledge is inherently present in humans. This concept explains a child's ability to master a native language quickly despite the abstract nature of language rules. Chomsky introduced the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) to represent this innate knowledge, which encompasses fundamental language rules, the universality of language acquisition across cultures, and expected language errors in children.

Topic-023: Chomsky’s Criticism on Behaviourism

How did Chomsky critique behaviorism, particularly B.F. Skinner's ideas?

Chomsky criticized behaviorism by challenging the idea that language learning is solely based on repetition and reinforcement.

What did Chomsky argue about a child's language abilities?

Chomsky argued that children have the ability to create infinite sentences and phrases they've never heard before using a finite set of rules.

How did Chomsky criticize B.F. Skinner's behaviorism in relation to language acquisition?

Chomsky's criticism of behaviorism, particularly Skinner's views, centered on the idea that language learning cannot be solely explained by repetition and reinforcement. Chomsky believed that children possess the ability to use a finite set of rules to generate an infinite number of sentences, even ones they have never heard before.

Topic-024: Rene Descartes’s Concept of Idea

What is Rene Descartes's famous philosophical statement?

Rene Descartes's famous statement is "I think, therefore I am."

How did Descartes classify ideas?

Descartes classified ideas into three types: innate ideas, adventitious ideas, and factitious ideas.

According to Descartes, what determines truth and reality?

Descartes believed that knowledge or belief in God determines truth and reality.

Topic-025: Transcendental Idealism

Who proposed the theory of Transcendental Idealism?

Immanuel Kant proposed the theory of Transcendental Idealism.

What is the key idea of Transcendental Idealism regarding human perception and the world?

It suggests that the human mind creates individual experiences, and the world is independent of individual perceptions.

What are the key features of Transcendental Idealism?

Features include concepts without perceptions being empty, perceptions without concepts being blind, and the distinction between the phenomenal and noumenal realms.

Topic-026: The Lenneberg Theory and Competence and Performance What is the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) according to the Lenneberg theory?

CPH suggests that successful language acquisition occurs before puberty, emphasizing the importance of learning during childhood and the existence of neurological mechanisms.

What is the difference between Competence and Performance in language?

Competence refers to a native speaker's knowledge of language rules, while Performance is the actual use of language in real situations.

Who supported Chomsky's concept of performance and proposed additional ideas?

Dell Hymes supported Chomsky's concept of performance and added that language is one mode of communication, it varies in different situations, and language acquisition is subject to social needs.

Lesson-07 · GENERATIVISM-II · Topic-027: Dispelling Myths Critical Period Hypothesis

What is the relevance of second language acquisition to the critical period hypothesis?

It highlights the age factor and the belief that children as L2 learners are 'superior' to adults.

Who argued that CPH has been dispelled as a myth to investigate first language acquisition and SLA?

H. H. Stern (1970) gave arguments for better understanding.

What are some of the principles that Stern mentioned for language learning in childhood and SLA?

Practice, repetition, imitation, practicing separate sounds, understanding before speaking, natural learning order, learning without translation, and no explicit grammar teaching.