*If I pick up a ball and say "ball" consistently ...* The controversial question... | Hacker News

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thisrod on April 14, 2011 | parent | context | favorite | on: Chomsky was wrong: evolutionary analysis shows lan...

If I pick up a ball and say "ball" consistently ...

The controversial question is how people learn grammar, not vocabulary.

Even taken the first sentence as given, why does that imply a UG?

That model is what Chomsky meant by "universal grammar". Or so I understand - I'm not an expert.

ezy on April 14, 2011 [–]

My point was that once you assign the sound "ball" to a ball, you are also simultaneously (or eventually, as you see more examples) adding the sound "ball" to category of sounds that describe things.

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