21.02.2019
“The system we call language is man’s eye, brain, thought, and soul.” (Doğan Aksan)
“Language is a non-instinctive method that enables the transmission of thoughts, feelings, and desires, unique to humans, using symbols produced by will.” (Edward Sapir)
“Language is a multifaceted, highly developed system that allows thoughts, feelings, and desires to be conveyed to others within a society by utilizing common elements and rules in terms of sound and meaning.” (Doğan Aksan)
“Language can also be likened to a piece of paper. Thought is the front of the paper, and sound is the back. When you cut the front of the paper, you inevitably cut the back as well. The same is true in language; neither sound can be separated from thought, nor thought from sound.” (Ferdinand de Saussure)
“Language is the home of being.” (Martin Heidegger)
“A language is a set of sentences (finite or infinite), each of finite length and composed of a finite set of members.” (Noam Chomsky)
As seen above, it is possible to make many and diverse definitions of language. However, undoubtedly, language is primarily a means of communication and also of thought; it is a living, constantly evolving system, and it is definitely not personal, but social.
Recent research has shown that language acquisition begins in the womb. According to Noam Chomsky, the founder of modern linguistics, historian, author, and professor, individuals are born with a language acquisition mechanism. Again, according to Chomsky, if individuals were not born with a language acquisition mechanism, it would be impossible for children to acquire language. Accordingly, from the womb onwards, the child begins to imitate certain sounds it hears. These sounds, which initially seem meaningless, later transform into a meaningful pattern, thus enabling language acquisition. The more auditory input a child is exposed to during this process, the more sounds they hear, and consequently, the more they are spoken to, the more the acquisition mechanism located in the back of the brain is stimulated, and this stimulated/developed part triggers language acquisition.
It has been observed that children whose acquisition mechanism is not stimulated in early childhood experience difficulties in language acquisition later in life.
The Genie Case
Born in 1957, Genie was confined to a room in the house because her father believed she was mentally disabled. In this room, which contained only a crib and enough belongings to meet her basic needs, and where the curtains were kept completely closed, Genie remained locked up for 12 years. Cut off from the outside world, Genie could not learn to speak, run, or acquire other necessary skills. When she was discovered by officials after her mother, who had lost her sight, requested state aid, she looked no different from an 8-year-old child. Immediately taken for medical examination, Genie, who was in the final stages of a critical developmental period when found, had difficulty communicating verbally despite all rehabilitation efforts. In the later stages, she manages to learn sign language and communicates using it. In short, because the part of the brain responsible for language skills is not stimulated in early childhood, it shrinks, and she cannot fully learn the language.
Genie's case helps us understand the difference between acquisition and learning. Accordingly, acquisition occurs as a result of stimulation by auditory input from external factors without our effort; while learning takes place through the individual's own will and effort after completing the critical period. Considering Humboldt, who stated that humans have the potential to understand all languages and that all languages are common, not different from each other, but have systems that differ in their use, it should not be forgotten that children need to be exposed to plenty of auditory input, and therefore stimuli, whether in the acquisition or learning process, and emphasis should be placed on repetition to accelerate the process.
