A Mind for Language
An Introduction to the Innateness Debate

Illustrated with real-life examples throughout, this book provides a complete introduction to the nature or nurture debate in linguistics.

Harry van der Hulst (Author)

9781108471572, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 30 September 2023

618 pages
28 x 19 x 3.4 cm, 1.075 kg

How does human language arise in the mind? To what extent is it innate, or something that is learned? How do these factors interact? The questions surrounding how we acquire language are some of the most fundamental about what it means to be human and have long been at the heart of linguistic theory. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to this fascinating debate, unravelling the arguments for the roles of nature and nurture in the knowledge that allows humans to learn and use language. An interdisciplinary approach is used throughout, allowing the debate to be examined from philosophical and cognitive perspectives. It is illustrated with real-life examples and the theory is explained in a clear, easy-to-read way, making it accessible for students without a background in linguistics. An accompanying website contains a glossary, questions for reflection, discussion themes and project suggestions, to further deepen students understanding of the material.

I. Introduction
1. What this book is about
II. The never-ending debate
2. The innateness hypothesis
3. Philosophy of mind
4. Cognitive science
5. Modularity
III. The mental grammar, language universals and language change
6. The organization of the mental grammar
7. Language universals
8. Language change
IV. Language acquisition
9. Language acquisition: the road from input to mental grammar
10. Stages of language acquisition
11. Critical period effects
12. How children create new languages
V. Language in a different modality
13. Sign languages
VI. Winding up
14. Evaluating the arguments: a forum discussion.

Subject Areas: Psycholinguistics [CFD]