ATYPICAL LEARNERS AND EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
ATYPICAL LEARNERS AND EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Author(s): Niloufar JafariSubject(s): Foreign languages learning, Sociology of Education
Published by: Editura Pro Universitaria
Keywords: Atypical Learners; Critical Period; Deaf Isolates; Hereditary Language Disorders; Language Acquisition; Linguistic Innateness; Non- Nativism; Poverty of the Stimulus Argument; Savants;
Summary/Abstract: Detractors of nativism, inspired by methodological rigour of scientific hypothesising, have often been complaining about the untestability of innateness claims in linguistics. However, the purpose of this short paper is to argue that that the following cases not only should provide sufficient ground to assuage their methodological sensibilities but also furnish further empirical support for the stance: (1) deaf isolates that have not been exposed to any language; (2) language learning past the critical period where the child has either been a victim of abuse or suffered from hearing impairment; (3) individuals suffering from some kind of hereditary language disorder; and, (4) savants exhibiting extraordinary linguistic ability despite mental handicap.
Journal: Euromentor Journal - Studies about education
- Issue Year: 2015
- Issue No: 04
- Page Range: 18-29
- Page Count: 12
- Language: English