There are two main theories of language, the Learning Theory, which branches out into Skinner's reinforcement theory and Bandura's imitation theory, and the Biological theory which branches out into Chomsky's innate LAD and Lennenberg's 'Critical Periods'. These are theories based on 'nature' or 'nurture', i.e. whether language is learnt through reinforcement and imitation, or whether we are predisposed to acquire language.

Skinner's Learning theory is an example of language being a result of learning. He argues that the use or reinforcement in operant conditioning and association building in classical conditioning are important in moulding a young child's verbal behaviour, i.e. babies cous being moulded by adults into words.

In Skinner's theory he suggests 3 ways in which speech is reinforced. These are through tact (operant conditioning), mand (classical conditioning) and through Echoic response (imitation). Thus reinforcement plays on important part in language acquisition.

Research into the importance of parental intervention in language acquisition (Motherese) has found several key features. Adults

Lenneberg suggests that there is a critical period to learning language, and that genes are responsible for the development of language and are passed down through generations. He furthered this by stating that this brain function was specific to man and that our brains are sensitive to acquiring language.

He referred to the structures as 'linguistic universals' (nouns, verb etc.). From this he proposed that humans are read equipt to acquire language, the language Acquisition Device. The LAD can destinguash between surface structure and deep structure, and that the LAD is the reason that children can acquire language and grammatical rules with ease.

All human beings aquirelanguage reguardless of IG, and our verbal cords, breathing aparatus, auditory system and brain are all highly specialised for verbal communication. Thus this is evidence to support the theory correct. To further this, linguistic universals as suggested by chomsky must exist because all children can learn any language to which they are exposed.

It is clear therefore to say that imitation is important in providing an explanation for language acquisition. However the theory fails to explain the differences in performance between children, spontanious use of grammatical rules, un

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