Today’s episode critically examines Noam Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device (LAD) theory, arguing that it fails to accurately describe how many individuals, particularly gestalt language processors (GLPs) and autistic people, acquire language. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, asserts that the LAD, which posits an innate, universal grammar, misrepresents GLP language development as a deficit rather than a distinct and valid form of communication. Dr. Hoerricks further explores why the LAD remains dominant in academic and institutional settings, suggesting its utility in creating universal standards that align with Western, neurotypical norms and support related industries. Ultimately, she advocates for alternative frameworks that honor diverse language acquisition pathways, emphasising that GLP language is often relational, memory-based, sensory, and poetic, challenging the prescriptive nature of the LAD and advocating for a more inclusive understanding of human communication.
Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/we-made-language-anyway-how-the-language
Let me know what you think.
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