What does universal grammar theory propose?

• A. The mind has a bunch of switches that get set when you learn a language as a child
• B. Language is learned purely from environment with no innate structure
• C. There is no innate knowledge about language
• D. Language is arbitrary and entirely learned by trial and error

Answer: (A)

Universal grammar theory proposes that language ability is built in at birth, with innate knowledge guiding how children set up the grammar of their language as they grow. The mind contains universal principles about possible sentence structures and a set of parameters that get configured based on linguistic input. Describing language learning as the mind having a set of switches that get set when you learn a language captures that idea: the child activates the relevant settings to match the language they hear. This accounts for rapid, uniform language development across children and languages, despite variability in input. If language were learned purely from environment with no innate structure, or if there were no innate knowledge at all, or if language were arbitrary and learned by trial and error, we wouldn’t see the consistent patterns and the quick acquisition that children show.