Which of the following would be the best piece of evidence...

Which of the following would be the best piece of evidence for the nativist theory of language acquisition? (A) a child who acquires language at an extremely early age through intense instruction by her or his parents (B) statistical evidence that children in one culture learn language faster than children in another culture (C) a child of normal mental ability not being able to learn language due to language deprivation at an early age (D) a child skipping the babbling and telegraphic speech stages of language acquisition (E) a child deprived of language at an early age successfully learning language later

Which of the following would be the best piece of evidence for the nativist theory of language acquisition?
(A) a child who acquires language at an extremely early age through intense instruction by her or his parents
(B) statistical evidence that children in one culture learn language faster than children in another culture
(C) a child of normal mental ability not being able to learn language due to language deprivation at an early age
(D) a child skipping the babbling and telegraphic speech stages of language acquisition
(E) a child deprived of language at an early age successfully learning language later

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Key Concepts

Critical Period Hypothesis

This hypothesis proposes that there exists a specific time frame in early life during which the brain is especially receptive to language learning. If sufficient linguistic input is not received during this critical period, as evidenced by cases of early language deprivation, the ability to achieve full linguistic competence may be compromised.

Language Acquisition Device

Often associated with the nativist view, the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) is a hypothetical, innate module in the brain that enables children to acquire language quickly and efficiently. It provides the underlying framework that guides learners in understanding the structure and rules common to all languages.

Nativist Theory of Language Acquisition

This theory posits that humans are born with an inherent ability to learn language, supported by innate neural mechanisms. It suggests that language acquisition is a natural process triggered by exposure to linguistic input, rather than solely by environmental factors or explicit instruction.

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