Chomsky's concept of Universal Grammar

Definition

Chomsky's concept of Universal Grammar refers to the theory that humans are born with an innate ability to acquire language and that there is a universal underlying structure shared by all languages. It suggests that there are specific grammatical rules hard-wired in our brains that allow us to learn and generate language.

Related terms

Language Acquisition Device (LAD):

The Language Acquisition Device is a theoretical construct proposed by Chomsky, which refers to an innate mental capacity specifically dedicated to acquiring language.

Transformational grammar: Transformational grammar is a linguistic framework developed by Chomsky, based on the idea that sentences have surface structures (what we actually say) and deep structures (the underlying meaning).

Innateness hypothesis: The innateness hypothesis proposes that certain aspects of human behavior, such as language acquisition, are biologically determined and not solely learned through environmental influences.