Answer to Question #107584 in English for Ntethelelo

Question

From your observation of how bilingual or multilingual people learn their languages , or your experience if you are bilingual or multilingual, do you think Pinker's (1994) definition about the natural drive to learn a language is applicable?

Answer 1

In his book, Steven Pinker argues that language is learned effortlessly within a particular age. He states that children between 12-13 can learn a foreign language without developing an accent. Beyond that, they are likely to develop an accent. He points out that language is learned though exposure where individuals are naturally inclined to pick up words and develop a language. He explains that there exists a universal grammar that represents specific structures in the brain to make it easier to identify general rules within any language and fosters a fast learning process.