Who developed the nativist perspective, stating humans are naturally or biologically designed to learn language?

• A. Noam Chomsky
• B. Interactionist Theory
• C. Universal Grammar
• D. Communicative language teaching or communicative approaches

Answer: (A)

Language learning is explained by the idea that humans are born with an innate capacity to acquire language. Noam Chomsky is the central figure who developed this nativist view, proposing that children have an inborn language faculty that guides their acquisition. A cornerstone of his theory is Universal Grammar, the notion that there are deep, shared grammatical principles wired into the brain and triggered by exposure to language. This helps explain why children quickly learn complex grammar even from limited input. Other options describe different approaches: one emphasizes social interaction and environmental input, another is the theoretical construct Universal Grammar itself, and another is a classroom method focused on communication rather than innate biology. So the best match for who developed the nativist perspective is Noam Chomsky.