How do we learn language? Is language biological, cultural, or a combination of both?

Carmen Solis
Engl 1107


Thesis:
Pinker and Dalrymple explain thoroughly in their writing how language is developed in a human-being. Pinker states that language is something that comes naturally; while, Dalrymple explains that the cultural environment that one lives in has a great influence on the language. As a matter of fact, language's development is a combination of biological and one's surrounding.


Quotes:
“Indeed, you can posses all these advantages and still not be a competent language user, if you lack just the right genes or just the right bits of brain” (Chatterboxes, pg 54 by Pinker)

I will use this quote to state what Pinker thinks of how language is developed. This quote shows that Pinker takes the side that language comes from biological meaning. This quote has facts and it will give me a chance to combine with one of Dalrymple’s quote explaining how the cultural and biological are linked together to form and develop language.


“Language is not a cultural artifact that we learn the way we learn to tell time or how the federal government works. Instead, it is a distinct piece of biological makeup of our brains. Language is a complex…..process information or behave intelligently” (An instinct to acquire an Art, pg 18 by Pinker)

This quote gives an insight into why Pinker thinks language comes naturally. This quote explains exactly what he thinks. It would help the readers to understand his strong point of view. I will paraphrase and supply examples of his point-of-view. I will explain this quote more extensively and provide more information of why he thinks that way.


“It is utterly implausible to suggest that imitation of parents (or other social contacts) has nothing whatever to do with the acquisition of language. I hesitate to mention so obvious a consideration, but Chinese parents tend to have Chinese-speaking children…it is a sociological truism that a children tend to speak not merely the language but the dialect of their parents” (The Gift of Language, pg 4 by Theodore)

I will use this quote to explain what Theodore thinks about language. He is saying that if a child is around Chinese speaking parents, of course, he is going to learn Chinese because that is the language he is hearing. Basically, the environment that a child is surrounded by and the language that he/she is hearing will cause some effect on her language.