Which of the following best describes the role of social interaction in language development?

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

Answer: (A)

Focusing on how social interaction influences language learning, this view says language develops through real conversations and social exchanges with others. Children hear language in meaningful contexts, receive feedback, and actively participate in dialogue, using interactions like joint attention, modeling, and guided participation to map words to meanings and gradually acquire grammar. This makes the idea that social interaction drives language development the best fit.

The other ideas come from nativist perspectives that emphasize internal mental structures. For example, some theorists propose an innate Language Acquisition Device or Universal Grammar—innate rules or principles guiding grammar—arguing that much of language comes from these internal constraints rather than from social experience. So while innate predispositions exist, social interaction remains central to how language is actually learned in everyday life.