Provide an example of language acquisition that supports the claim that we acquire language because of Chromsky's "inborn universal grammar" theory. Your example should show language acquisition progressing from babbling through telegraphic speech and should use the following idea in the correct context:

A language acquisition device is a prewired, innate mechanism in the brain that allows children to naturally acquire language. The universal grammar theory states that all languages share the same basic elements. For example, a child in the babbling stage--uttering various sounds that don't form wholistic words. Because of their language acquisition device in the brain, they will naturally learn more language, progressing to the one word stage (speaking mostly in single words) then onto the two word stage (telegraphic speech). In the two word stage the child will speak in mostly two word phrases such as “Ball roll.” This exemplifies the universal grammar theory because children who experience and speak different languages allexperience this same stage of mostly verbs and nouns. The theory states that all human languages involve the same basic building blocks--in this case the two word stage.

• Babbling= stage of speech development uttering words and sounds they recognize

• Telegraphic speech= uses mostly nouns and verbs

• Universal grammar= all languages share some basic elements (such as nouns, verbs, adjectives)

• Statistical learning= Infants display a remarkable ability to learn statistical aspects of human speech

• Critical periods= mastering certain aspects of language before the language learning window closes