A Criticism of the Theory of Language Emergentism

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor of TEFL, Chabahar Maritime University

2 PhD Candidate of TEFL, Chabahar Maritime University

3 PhD Candidate of Islamic Philosophy and Theology , Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch and Instructor of Shahid Mahalati High Education Complex

10.22034/ra.2018.32748

Abstract

Empiricism and rationalism have contrasting views about the origin of language. Rationalist believes that language, as a faculty and a mental capacity, is innate in human being and support themselves with a variety of documents. In contrast, empiricists believe that language is acquired a posteriori through indirect processes and mechanisms. They also hold that language emerges as the result of the interaction of human mind with the environment through experience. Islamic thinkers believe that human beings are potentially endowed with natural (innate) capabilities from the very beginning of creation and their growth and their appearance depends on a variety of internal and external factors. Taking this definition of nativism into account, the proofs on which language Emergentism relies is criticized and it is concluded that language is an internal faculty of human being which surfaces as a result of a movement and grows under the effect of environmental exposure and becomes sophisticated in rules of grammar.

Keywords

Religious Anthroplogy
Volume 15, Issue 39 - Serial Number 39
November 2018
Pages 125-143

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