Select the option that states the hypothesis on which Universal Grammar Theory is based.

Correct option is A

Explanation:

Universal Grammar Theory (UGT), proposed by Noam Chomsky, posits that all human languages share a common structural basis despite the superficial differences in vocabulary, syntax, and phonetics. The core hypothesis of UGT is that humans have an innate linguistic capacity that allows us to acquire language. This capacity enables all humans to learn any language within a set of universal rules that govern language structure, often referred to as Universal Grammar.

UGT suggests that while languages might appear vastly different across the world, they all share some fundamental similarities in how they are structured. For instance, the basic syntax, word order, and rules governing sentence formation might differ, but every language follows certain universal principles that stem from our innate cognitive ability to produce and understand language.

Information Booster:

- Noam Chomsky (b. 1928), a prominent linguist and cognitive scientist, is credited with the development of Universal Grammar Theory.

- Chomsky's theory revolutionized the study of linguistics by proposing that humans are biologically predisposed to acquire language.

- He argued that all human languages share a universal underlying structure, which is part of our genetic endowment.

- Chomsky’s work contrasts with earlier behaviorist theories of language acquisition, which suggested that language is learned through environmental stimuli and reinforcement. Chomsky proposed instead that there is an innate universal grammar in all humans that shapes language acquisition.

Key Features of Universal Grammar:

- Innateness Hypothesis: Chomsky argued that humans are born with an inherent capacity to acquire language, which is hardwired into the brain.

- Universal Principles: Despite the differences in languages (such as English, Japanese, or Swahili), all languages share some universal linguistic principles, such as syntax rules, morphology, and sentence structures.

- The theory distinguishes between the deep structure (underlying grammar common to all languages) and the surface structure (the specific manifestation of grammar in any given language).

- One of the key components of Chomsky’s Universal Grammar Theory is the idea of the poverty of the stimulus argument.

- This states that children are able to learn complex linguistic structures even when they are not explicitly taught those structures by the people around them.

- The theory argues that this is possible because humans have an inborn linguistic capacity that allows them to make sense of limited linguistic input.