Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini and Robert C. Berwick (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199590339
- eISBN:
- 9780191745041
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199590339.001.0001
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Theoretical Linguistics, Psycholinguistics / Neurolinguistics / Cognitive Linguistics
This book addresses one of the most famous and controversial arguments in the study of language and mind, the Poverty of the Stimulus (POS). Presented by Chomsky in 1968, the argument holds that ...
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This book addresses one of the most famous and controversial arguments in the study of language and mind, the Poverty of the Stimulus (POS). Presented by Chomsky in 1968, the argument holds that children do not receive enough evidence to infer the existence of core aspects of language, such as the dependence of linguistic rules on hierarchical phrase structure. The argument strikes against empiricist accounts of language acquisition and supports the conclusion that knowledge of some aspects of grammar must be innate. In the first part of this book, chapters consider the general issues around the POS argument, review the empirical data, and offer new and plausible explanations. This is followed by a discussion of the processes of language acquisition, and observed ‘gaps’ between adult and child grammar, concentrating on the late spontaneous acquisition by children of some key syntactic principles, basically, though not exclusively, between the ages of 5 to 9. Part 3 widens the horizon beyond language acquisition in the narrow sense, examining the natural development of reading and writing and of the child's growing sensitivity for the fine arts.Less
This book addresses one of the most famous and controversial arguments in the study of language and mind, the Poverty of the Stimulus (POS). Presented by Chomsky in 1968, the argument holds that children do not receive enough evidence to infer the existence of core aspects of language, such as the dependence of linguistic rules on hierarchical phrase structure. The argument strikes against empiricist accounts of language acquisition and supports the conclusion that knowledge of some aspects of grammar must be innate. In the first part of this book, chapters consider the general issues around the POS argument, review the empirical data, and offer new and plausible explanations. This is followed by a discussion of the processes of language acquisition, and observed ‘gaps’ between adult and child grammar, concentrating on the late spontaneous acquisition by children of some key syntactic principles, basically, though not exclusively, between the ages of 5 to 9. Part 3 widens the horizon beyond language acquisition in the narrow sense, examining the natural development of reading and writing and of the child's growing sensitivity for the fine arts.
Norbert Francis
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262016391
- eISBN:
- 9780262298384
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262016391.001.0001
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Sociolinguistics / Anthropological Linguistics
When two or more languages are part of a child’s world, we are presented with a rich opportunity to learn something about language in general and about how the mind works. This book examines the ...
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When two or more languages are part of a child’s world, we are presented with a rich opportunity to learn something about language in general and about how the mind works. This book examines the development of bilingual proficiency and the different kinds of competence that come together in making up its component parts. In particular, it explores problems of language ability when children use two languages for tasks related to schooling, especially in learning how to read and write. It considers both broader research issues and findings from an ongoing investigation of child bilingualism in an indigenous language-speaking community in Mexico. This special sociolinguistic context allows for a unique perspective on some of the central themes of bilingualism research today, including the distinction between competence and proficiency, modularity, and the Poverty of Stimulus problem. The book proposes that competence (knowledge) should be considered as an integral component of proficiency (ability) rather than something separate and apart, arguing that this approach allows for a more inclusive assessment of research findings from diverse fields of study. The bilingual indigenous language project illustrates how the concepts of modularity and the competence-proficiency distinction in particular might be applied to problems of language learning and literacy. Few investigations of indigenous language and culture approach bilingual research problems from a cognitive science perspective. By suggesting connections to broader cognitive and linguistic issues, this book points the way to further research along these lines.Less
When two or more languages are part of a child’s world, we are presented with a rich opportunity to learn something about language in general and about how the mind works. This book examines the development of bilingual proficiency and the different kinds of competence that come together in making up its component parts. In particular, it explores problems of language ability when children use two languages for tasks related to schooling, especially in learning how to read and write. It considers both broader research issues and findings from an ongoing investigation of child bilingualism in an indigenous language-speaking community in Mexico. This special sociolinguistic context allows for a unique perspective on some of the central themes of bilingualism research today, including the distinction between competence and proficiency, modularity, and the Poverty of Stimulus problem. The book proposes that competence (knowledge) should be considered as an integral component of proficiency (ability) rather than something separate and apart, arguing that this approach allows for a more inclusive assessment of research findings from diverse fields of study. The bilingual indigenous language project illustrates how the concepts of modularity and the competence-proficiency distinction in particular might be applied to problems of language learning and literacy. Few investigations of indigenous language and culture approach bilingual research problems from a cognitive science perspective. By suggesting connections to broader cognitive and linguistic issues, this book points the way to further research along these lines.
Noam Chomsky
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199590339
- eISBN:
- 9780191745041
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199590339.003.0004
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Theoretical Linguistics, Psycholinguistics / Neurolinguistics / Cognitive Linguistics
This chapter begins by identifying parallels between the development of Generative Grammar and the rise of the modern scientific revolution. It then claims that the willingness to be puzzled by what ...
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This chapter begins by identifying parallels between the development of Generative Grammar and the rise of the modern scientific revolution. It then claims that the willingness to be puzzled by what seem to be obvious truths is the first step in understanding how the world works. Once we agree to be puzzled by the elementary Poverty of Stimulus problem, and try to offer a principled answer to it, there are many important consequences that follow, and many new problems arise. This is precisely what we should expect in a research program that seeks answers to fundamental questions.Less
This chapter begins by identifying parallels between the development of Generative Grammar and the rise of the modern scientific revolution. It then claims that the willingness to be puzzled by what seem to be obvious truths is the first step in understanding how the world works. Once we agree to be puzzled by the elementary Poverty of Stimulus problem, and try to offer a principled answer to it, there are many important consequences that follow, and many new problems arise. This is precisely what we should expect in a research program that seeks answers to fundamental questions.
Carol Chomsky
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199590339
- eISBN:
- 9780191745041
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199590339.003.0017
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Theoretical Linguistics, Psycholinguistics / Neurolinguistics / Cognitive Linguistics
This chapter presents one of Carol Chomsky's classic papers, which encompasses the title of the present volume — the idea that children develop rich grammars from poor inputs. The paper reports a ...
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This chapter presents one of Carol Chomsky's classic papers, which encompasses the title of the present volume — the idea that children develop rich grammars from poor inputs. The paper reports a careful longitudinal analysis of language growth in cases that constitute extreme examples of the Poverty of the Stimulus: children that are both deaf and blind from a very early age. Notwithstanding such severe deprivation, language growth unfolds in essentially a normal way, matching the levels of production and understanding of normal children of the same age.Less
This chapter presents one of Carol Chomsky's classic papers, which encompasses the title of the present volume — the idea that children develop rich grammars from poor inputs. The paper reports a careful longitudinal analysis of language growth in cases that constitute extreme examples of the Poverty of the Stimulus: children that are both deaf and blind from a very early age. Notwithstanding such severe deprivation, language growth unfolds in essentially a normal way, matching the levels of production and understanding of normal children of the same age.
Lila Gleitman and Barbara Landau
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199590339
- eISBN:
- 9780191745041
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199590339.003.0006
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Theoretical Linguistics, Psycholinguistics / Neurolinguistics / Cognitive Linguistics
Drawing upon the work of Carol Chomsky, this chapter focuses on two specific issues. The first concerns the robustness of language acquisition to variability in learners' access to input that appear ...
More
Drawing upon the work of Carol Chomsky, this chapter focuses on two specific issues. The first concerns the robustness of language acquisition to variability in learners' access to input that appear crucial to the function being acquired, as seen from language studies in people who became both deaf and blind during infancy. The second concerns the abilities of children to reconstruct the meanings of sentences with covert structure, as in Carol Chomsky's landmark studies of whether blindfolded dolls might be hard to see. These two themes exemplify the general problem known as ‘the poverty of the stimulus’; in the present case, how humans reconstruct linguistic form and meaning from the blatantly inadequate information offered in their usable environment.Less
Drawing upon the work of Carol Chomsky, this chapter focuses on two specific issues. The first concerns the robustness of language acquisition to variability in learners' access to input that appear crucial to the function being acquired, as seen from language studies in people who became both deaf and blind during infancy. The second concerns the abilities of children to reconstruct the meanings of sentences with covert structure, as in Carol Chomsky's landmark studies of whether blindfolded dolls might be hard to see. These two themes exemplify the general problem known as ‘the poverty of the stimulus’; in the present case, how humans reconstruct linguistic form and meaning from the blatantly inadequate information offered in their usable environment.
