The theory that language acquisition is both social and biological is known as:

• A. Noam Chomsky
• B. Universal Grammar
• C. LAD
• D. Interactionist Theory

Answer: (D)

Language learning comes from the interaction of our biological capacity with our social environment. Children are biologically prepared to acquire language, but they need rich social interaction—talking with caregivers, joint attention, feedback, and meaningful communication—to actually develop their words, phrases, and grammar.

That blend is what the Interactionist Theory is about: it recognizes that biology provides the potential to learn language, while social interaction provides the real-world input, context, and practice that shape how language develops. It isn’t attributing language to a single innate system or to environment alone; it’s the combination that drives acquisition.

The other options point to innate-structure ideas—Noam Chomsky’s emphasis on Universal Grammar and the hypothetical language acquisition device—where the focus is on built-in rules or mechanisms rather than on the essential role of social interaction.