16 Questions
What is implied by the statement 'A native speaker of a language knows things he could not have learnt from the samples of speech he has heard'?
Native speakers possess innate knowledge beyond what they learn from speech samples.
What is the significance of a native speaker's knowledge being described as 'tacit'?
It means the knowledge is difficult to articulate and express.
What does the example 'is the programme that on TV is good' illustrate about a native speaker's knowledge of English?
Awareness of word order and placement in English sentences.
What does the example 'the officer shot the man with the gun' demonstrate about a native speaker's understanding of English sentences?
The different meanings that can arise from ambiguous sentences.
What can be inferred about a native speaker's knowledge of grammar and sentence formation?
It is inherent and extends beyond their conscious awareness.
Why is it important to describe a native speaker's language knowledge as coming from 'some property inside his mind'?
To highlight the role of cognitive processes in language learning.
What term did Chomsky use to refer to the native speaker’s knowledge of his or her language?
Competence
What does Chomsky consider grammar to be concerned with?
Competence
What is Chomsky's ultimate goal in relation to language properties?
Universal Grammar
What is the term used to describe the ability for young children to learn grammars in a short period of time?
Learnability
At what age do children start to make adult-like sentences with occasional errors?
30 months
What is the hypothesis referred to as when discussing the hard-wired programme in our brain for language acquisition?
Innateness Hypothesis
What is the term used to describe language as an instinct much like walking?
'Acquire'
What criterion must a theory of Universal Grammar satisfy?
'Universality'
At what age do children show some grammatical development like the use of inflections such as the plural ‘s’ (e.g., doggies)?
18 months
What term did Chomsky use to describe the actual use of a native speaker’s knowledge of his or her language?
Performance
Test your knowledge of language acquisition and the innate grammar knowledge of native speakers with this quiz. Explore the acquisition of linguistic knowledge independent of direct experience and delve into the understanding of sentence structures.
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