Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637

2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021)

Nature versus Nurture in Bilinguals’ Language

Acquisition
Lin Gao1,*
1
Department of psychology, The University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States, 20740
*Corresponding author. Email:lgao123@terpmail.umd.edu

ABSTRACT
Nature versus nurture is a controversial question in psychology. Many psychologists are debating whether genes or
experience play a more important role in human development. Some researchers emphasize the influence of learning
on language acquisition, while others emphasize biological influences. Language is the way that humans could use to
convey their thoughts and communicate with each other. But the question is that is language innate or learned? This
paper does not pay much attention to the role of genes and experience in the overall development of human beings,
but this study aims to explore what role they play in the development of language. The researcher would explore this
question based on the bilingual's language development. That is because bilingual speakers can be proficient in both
languages, which allows us to examine the influence of their innate and acquired environment on their language
development. The researcher has studied and analyzed the previous academic papers and examples about the nature
versus nurture of language and summarized them to draw the conclusion of this paper. It can be concluded that both
nature and nurture play an important role in the development of language acquisition. This is because we need our
genes and brain to build a language acquisition device (LAD), and then, after we have the ability to learn a language,
our acquired environment acts on our language system. As we interact with people around us later in life, we
gradually acquire words and grammar, and our language system is then complete.

Keywords: Nature vs. Nurture, Language acquisition, behaviorism, nativism, Bilingual

1. INTRODUCTION bilingual speaker to design better parenting for their

child. This could help their children become bilingual
It has long been debated which role is more more quickly and easily.
important throughout human development, nature or
nurture [1]. Nature refers to all the genetic factors that 2. ANALYSIS
influence us, from our appearance to our personality
traits. Whereas nurture refers to all the environmental Nature versus nurture which plays a more
variables that influence us, including our childhood important role in language acquisition has been debated
experiences, the way we were raised, our social for centuries. Some theorists believe that language skills
relationships, and the culture around us [2]. Although are built directly into our brains, just like our fingers
most researchers acknowledge that both nature and and arms, and that we are born with the ability to use
nurture play an important role in language acquisition, them skillfully. However, other theorists believe that
however, some researchers emphasize the influence of because we have a well-developed and mature brain, we
learning on language acquisition, while others can learn languages later in life.
emphasize the influence of biology. This paper would
collect viewpoints from different researchers and 2.1 Nurture
analysis each of them, and then, the researcher would
conclude all their perspectives and get the final point of Skinner [3] provided one of the earliest scientific
view. explanations of language acquisition. As one of the
pioneers of behaviorism, he explained language
This is an interesting question because, in the development through environmental influences, which
future, it could help parents who want their child to be a means that he thinks nurture plays a more important

Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

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role in language development. Skinner believed that the developmental processes most closely associated
children learn language based on the behaviorist with initial language acquisition [4]. After Skinner's
principle of reinforcement through the association of views were published, he was soon severely criticized
words and meanings. When children become aware of by Noam Chomsky, by far the world's most famous
the communicative value of words and phrases, correct linguist. According to Chomsky, children are born with
discourse is positively reinforced. Skinner believed that a language acquisition device (LAD), a specialized,
humans have the ability to speak because we have the purposeful, language-only evolutionary learning device
time, opportunity, and (perhaps) computational ability that is hardwired in children's brains, enabling them to
to learn a very large number of words and the acquire language and use grammar [5]. Besides that,
associations that tie those words together. "Native theories support this concept and argue that if
the native language is not learned before this age, it
A documentary directed by Tim Wardle is called
cannot be learned in a normal, natural way and cannot
"Three Identical Strangers," told a story about an
reach a fully functional state [4]."
accidental reunion of three identical triplets at the age of
19. The triplets were adopted by three different families Some bilinguals have parents from different
when they were six months old. During the adoption countries, meaning that each parent speaks a different
process, none of the families were told that the children language. According to Chomsky's theory, these
they were about to adopt were the triplets of the other children are born with genes inherited from their
two living children. Their reunion caused a sensation in mothers and fathers, which means that they are born
the early 1980s, with the three young people making the with two different language mechanisms in their
front pages of newspapers and magazines and being language acquisition device (LAD). Therefore, these
invited to several talk shows. Everyone, including the children have an advantage over the average child in the
triplets, was shocked at how many traits and interests language learning process.
they had in common. The first part of the documentary
presents the influence of genetics on the development of 2.3 Summary
behavioral traits and interests.
From this, this research concluded that both nature
Beyond some superficial similarities, such as favorite and nurture are important in the development of
sports and food tastes, all three boys grew up to be language. This is because people first have to have the
different people in terms of social skills, work ethic, and ability to learn languages (nature), and then, when they
coping styles. All of this is acquired through verbal are able and in a language environment (nurture), they
interaction with others. Thus, the three identical twins can begin to speak it after a long period of listening and
developed so differently because of the environment in speaking training. Just like Chomsky said, children are
which they were raised later in life. It looks that it born with a language acquisition device (LAD) which
supports Skinner's view. allows them to have the ability to acquire language and
There is a kind of bilingual parents who brought use grammar.
their children to another country whose language is This is a prerequisite for children to develop
different from the country they moved out of. This language skills. Then, as Skinner said, children need to
means that they were born without different language be immersed in a language environment, which means
mechanisms in their language acquisition device that their parents need to speak and interact with them.
(LAD). But as the children spend more time in the This is how the children's language acquisition device
country, they immigrated to, and the children gradually (LAD) can begin to come in handy. Bilinguals speakers
begin to acquire the other language. For example, a whose parents each speak a different language will
child moves from China to the United States. begin to imitate two different languages in their innate
It is important to understand that Chinese and environment. From there, they continue to work on their
English are two completely different languages. ability to speak both languages as they grow up. Then
Children who speak Chinese become proficient in they will gradually begin to become proficient in both
English because they have been in an English-speaking languages as they grow up. Even deaf children have the
environment long enough and have teachers who help ability to create their own language so that they can
them learn English words and grammar. This means communicate with others [6].
that they also become bilingual. This example again
supports Skinner's point. 3. FUTURE WORKS

2.2 Nature Finding a reliable answer to the question of

language acquisition is far from over. Our current
However, nativist theorists argue that human understanding of the developmental process is still
abilities and developmental processes are innate and immature. The process by which children learn a
hardwired at birth. These theories provide beliefs about language and translate it into a grammatically correct

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adult language is not fully understood. Nor does it lead to help us acquire the ability to learn languages.
to a completely correct and reasonable explanation of Without this "device," we would lose the ability to
whether bilingual speakers learn a second language in acquire language. It's like asking whether baseball or
exactly the same way as they learn their first language. the bat is more important in baseball.
Although the present paper has produced a relatively
Therefore, both nature and nurture play a major
acceptable discussion of nature and nurture questions, it
role in our language system, which means that both
has not been possible to reach a fully valid and
innate genes and acquired environment and experience
reasonable explanation.
are necessary for the formation of language. Without
However, this does not mean that future either of them, we have no way to form a sound
researchers will not break new ground in this area. In language system. Both of them are really important, and
the future, researchers can focus more on the linguistic one cannot be missing, and they are balancing each
implications of innate and acquired research. other. This is how we can master and apply language
proficiently.
Because language is a form of communication
unique to humans as higher animals, it can even be
called the greatest treasure of mankind. Although
AUTHORS’ CONTRIBUTIONS
people are not born as great literary figures as This paper is independently accomplished by the
Shakespeare, we can speak and communicate, author.
something that all people can do.
Although much research has been done to show ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
that the language center of the brain is composed of
In successfully completing this project, many
Broca's area, Supramarginal gyrus, Wernicke's area,
people have helped me. I would like to thank all those
Primary auditory cortex, and Angular gyrus, researchers
who are related to this study.
can go further to investigate the specific mechanisms of
the language acquisition device (LAD) as described by I would especially like to thank my university: the
Chomsky. This would provide a more concrete University of Maryland, College Park. I learned a lot
theoretical basis for the nature versus nurture from the university and without my studies at UMD, it
discussion. would have been difficult for me to complete this
research on my own.
4. CONCLUSION I must also thank my parents and friends for their
This paper examines whether nature or nurture tremendous support and help during this project.
plays a greater role in the development of a child's Without their help, completing this project would have
language acquisition. The conclusion based on the ideas been very difficult.
and perspectives mentioned in the previous paper is that
both innate and acquired play an important role in REFERENCES
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