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The Mentalist Theory of Language Learning
Author(s) -
Ewing Wallace K.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
foreign language annals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.258
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1944-9720
pISSN - 0015-718X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1944-9720.1972.tb00709.x
Subject(s) - linguistic competence , natural language , language acquisition , comprehension approach , competence (human resources) , process (computing) , linguistics , organism , object language , computer science , cognitive science , psychology , philosophy , programming language , social psychology , biology , paleontology
The behaviorist theory of language and language learning fails to account for the innovative and creative nature of language use, phenomena that the mentalists claim they can account for. Language, the mentalists say, is internal, rule‐governed, and abstract. The human organism has an innate predisposition toward language acquisition, being in a sense “programmed” for language. This predisposition accounts for the rapidity and uniformity with which the child learns his native language. The organism's innate ability to process language input gradually deteriorates and seems to be totally inoperative by the time that physical maturity is reached. In terms of second language acquisition, the mentalist theory invites revaluation of present classroom procedures and materials. Specifically, greater emphasis needs to be put on the student's “competence” as opposed to his “performance.”