Nativist Theory

Nativist Theory suggests that humans are born with an innate ability to acquire language, meaning our brains are naturally equipped with a built-in understanding of language rules. According to this view, language development is not solely learned through interaction or experience but is driven by an inherent capacity. Noam Chomsky, a key proponent, proposed the idea of a "universal grammar"—an internal set of linguistic principles shared across all languages. This theory explains why children can grasp complex language structures quickly, even with limited exposure, highlighting the biological basis for language development.