The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker is a brilliant and witty exploration of the innate nature of language, supported by data from various fields. The book argues that language is wired into children's brains and that the grammatical faculty is instinctive, with the author making complex material accessible to the average reader.
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker is a compelling and engaging book that delves into the innate nature of language. Pinker, a colleague of Noam Chomsky, presents persuasive data from cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and speech therapy to support the idea that language is wired into children's brains. The book argues that the grammatical faculty is instinctive and that children are linguistic geniuses, capable of complex grammatical transformations. Pinker's writing style makes complex material accessible to the average reader, and he never talks down to his audience. The book also explores the evolutionary aspects of language and the role of natural selection in its development. Pinker effectively disposes of claims that nonhuman primates have language abilities, emphasizing that the fundamental unity of humanity is the theme of Chomsky's universal grammar and this exciting book.
Quick quotes
Children deserve most of the credit for the language they acquire.
The grammatical faculty is built into the infant brain, and your average 3-year-old is not a mere apprentice in the great enterprise of absorbing English from his or her parents, but a 'linguistic genius.
The fundamental unity of humanity is the theme of Mr. Chomsky's universal grammar, and of this exciting book.