Guiding Questions
How are infants able to learn the language of their social environment?
Children can learn any of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages, but we still lack understanding of universal learning mechanisms. While research has made progress on specific languages, differences in how various languages are acquired remain unclear.
How do infants learn diverse language structures?
Language acquisition is complex and lengthy, involving memorisation and abstraction. To understand it, it is crucial to explore how the structure of the surrounding language aids this process and how children adapt to the vast diversity of linguistic forms.
Why does diversity matter?
Studying only one language can lead to biased conclusions. English, for instance, is grammatically atypical. Most research focuses on languages from WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic; Henrich 2010) cultures, which limits understanding of how children learn diverse linguistic structures. A broader approach is needed to truly grasp the universal processes and mechanisms at work.