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BehaviouristB.F.Skinnerbelievedwelearn built-in readiness to learn grammar helps language the same way as animals learn to explain why children acquire language so pick keys or press bars (refer to Chapter 6 on readily without direct teaching. Learning). Language development, for the behaviourists follow the learning principles, such as association (the sight of bottle with theanguage Use word ‘bottle’), imitation (adults use of word As we have discussed earlier, language use “bottle”), and reinforcement (smiles and hugs involves knowing socially appropriate ways of when the child says something right). There is communication. Knowledge of vocabulary and also evidence that children produce sounds syntax of a language does not ensure proper thatareappropriatetoalanguageoftheparent use of language to achieve the purpose of orcare-giverandarereinforcedforhavingdone communication in a variety of social situations. so. The principle of shaping leads to successiveWhen we use language we have various approximation of the desired responses so that pragmatic intentions such as requesting, thechildeventuallyspeaksaswellastheadult. asking, thanking, demanding, etc. In order Regional differences in pronunciation and to effectively serve these social goals, language phrasing illustrate how different patterns are use must be pragmatically correct or reinforced in different areas. contextually appropriate besides being Linguist Noam Chomsky put forth the grammatical and meaningful. Children often innate proposition of development of language. For him the rate at which children acquire have difficulty with choice of appropriate utterances for politeness or for requests and words and grammar without being taught can their use of language conveys a demand or a not be explained only by learning principles. command instead of a polite request. When Children also create all sorts of sentences they have never heard and, therefore, could not be children are engaged in conversations, they imitating. Children throughout the world seem also have difficulty in taking turns in speaking and listening like adults. to have a critical period — a period when learning must occur if it is to occur successfully — for learning language. Children across the world also go through the same Key Terms stages of language development. Chomsky Bilingualism, Brainstorming, Concepts, believes language development is just like Convergent thinking, Creativity, Decision- physical maturation- given adequate care, it making, Deductive reasoning, Divergent “just happens to the child”. Children are born thinking, Functional fixedness, Illumination, with “universal grammar”. They readily learn Images, Incubation, Inductive reasoning, Judgment, Language, Mental representation, the grammar of whatever language they hear. Skinner’s emphasis on learning explains Mental set, Multilingualism, Problem solving, why infants acquire the language they hear Reasoning, Remote association, Syntax, and how they add new words to their Thinking vocabularies. Chomsky’s emphasis on our Chapter 7 • Thinking 123 Reprint 2026-27