Eric Lenneberg

Eric Lenneberg was a linguist and neurologist who studied how humans acquire language. He is best known for proposing the "critical period hypothesis," suggesting that there is an optimal window during childhood when the brain is especially receptive to learning language. After this period, typically around puberty, acquiring a new language becomes much more difficult and less natural. His work helped shape understanding of brain development and language learning, emphasizing the importance of early childhood experiences for linguistic skills.