[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.92,0:00:03.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do you think kids learn to talk?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.94,0:00:07.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> By imitating their mothers and\Nthe people around them.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.95,0:00:10.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I guess their parents teach them.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.35,0:00:11.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People around them.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.68,0:00:15.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children learn language from their\Nparents or whosever rearing them or
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.31,0:00:16.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,raising them.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.09,0:00:21.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Yes, I think that a baby would\Nimitate what he hears, yes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.81,0:00:22.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.85,0:00:27.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> This is part two of a series
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.83,0:00:32.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.38,0:00:34.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.82,0:00:36.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Where's Cookie Monster?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.73,0:00:37.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi, Cookie Monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.80,0:00:42.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How do children acquire language\Nwithout seeming to learn it?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.40,0:00:43.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Bye, Big Bird.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.08,0:00:47.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In advance of experience,\Nthe child is already
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.98,0:00:52.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,equipped with an understanding of\Nthe basic structure of any human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.24,0:00:56.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.59,0:00:57.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.79,0:01:04.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]\N>> Show me your [FOREIGN].
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.37,0:01:10.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> At the age of three,\Nthere are many things a child can't do.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.11,0:01:14.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They can't perform mathematical\Noperations like multiplication and
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.92,0:01:16.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,division, or even subtraction.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.39,0:01:21.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> But it only takes a short\Namount of time to get a kid
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.13,0:01:24.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be a member of a language community,\Nsuch that he can infer
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.81,0:01:28.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,reliably from the noises that people\Nmake to their states of mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.26,0:01:28.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Papa.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.85,0:01:30.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How on earth does he do it?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.26,0:01:31.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Papa, papa.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.62,0:01:36.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Either it's there at birth or\Nhe has to learn it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.16,0:01:41.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now do birds teach their young to fly?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.28,0:01:43.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do mothers teach their\Nchildren how to speak?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.32,0:01:48.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, I really don't know whether\Nbirds teach their young to fly or
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.67,0:01:50.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not, though I suspect not.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.30,0:01:57.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I'm certain that mothers don't\Nteach their children to talk.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.16,0:01:58.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.96,0:02:02.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[NOISE]\N>> This part of our series is about
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.46,0:02:03.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a great mystery.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.34,0:02:08.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do children acquire language\Nwithout seeming to learn it?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.49,0:02:14.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do they note so many things with so\Nlittle life experience to go on,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.55,0:02:18.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a problem posed by Plato, 2000 years ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.02,0:02:19.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.97,0:02:25.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do children know how to walk and\Nrun around, how to pick up things with
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.04,0:02:29.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their fingers, how to use grammar\Neffortlessly without lessons?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.12,0:02:33.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do they do it?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.37,0:02:36.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Approaches to Plato's problem\Nhave changed in recent years.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.65,0:02:37.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.38,0:02:41.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And linguists credit one man\Nwith newly raising the issue and
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.08,0:02:44.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,profoundly influencing their thoughts.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.57,0:02:46.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Noam Chomsky.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.21,0:02:51.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Well, there is a general view\Nthat learning language is just like
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.20,0:02:56.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,solving any other problem, that we have\Ncertain general ways of solving problems,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.49,0:02:58.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,call them mechanisms or\Ngeneral intelligence.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.90,0:03:01.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We apply them to this task,\Nto that task, to the other task.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.64,0:03:03.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the same mechanisms.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.24,0:03:06.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the problems is acquiring language.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.07,0:03:10.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's another approach,\Nwhich suggests that, in fact,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.92,0:03:16.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the brain is like every other\Nsystem in the biological world.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.53,0:03:21.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is, it's highly differentiated\Ninto subsystems of special design and
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.19,0:03:25.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,structure, and that one of these\Nhappens to have a special design for
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.02,0:03:26.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,acquiring language.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.07,0:03:32.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Chomsky has argued,\Nto my mind convincingly,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.29,0:03:37.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that many of the processes of mental\Ncomputation involved in the normal
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.85,0:03:43.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,use of language are inherited, you're born\Nwith them, they're in your genetic makeup.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.40,0:03:47.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Coded in the DNA the way it's\Ncoded in the DNA of a human being
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.56,0:03:50.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is going to develop\Narms instead of wings.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.50,0:03:53.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And then if it's, as it were,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.42,0:03:56.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,coded in the genes it's not surprising\Nthat we're real good at it.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.89,0:04:00.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's like we're all good at having hair or\Nsomething, having two arms,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.64,0:04:02.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as Chomsky likes to say.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.65,0:04:05.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Walking is presumably\Nencoded in your DNA.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.06,0:04:09.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's part of the innate program\Nof human beings in their
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.89,0:04:15.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,development that they're going to\Nlearn to walk and not learn to fly.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.04,0:04:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.00,0:04:18.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps not learn to climb very well.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.90,0:04:22.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.71,0:04:24.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But they'll learn to\Nwalk terrifically well.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.12,0:04:26.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.46,0:04:27.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We're designed to walk.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.66,0:04:34.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's actually an open question\Nto what extent the child has to
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.50,0:04:37.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be in an environment of walking\Npeople in order to walk.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.84,0:04:41.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that we are designed\Nto walk is certain and
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.88,0:04:45.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we are taught to walk is impossible.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.40,0:04:48.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And pretty much the same with language.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.30,0:04:49.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nobody is taught language.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.63,0:04:55.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact you can't prevent\Na child from learning it.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.10,0:04:58.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's probably a mistake to\Neven use the word learning
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.13,0:05:00.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in connection with language acquisition.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.58,0:05:01.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As far as we understand it,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.72,0:05:06.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it has very much the properties\Nof normal physical growth.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.35,0:05:10.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> So much of the,\Nwhat is called controversy,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.16,0:05:16.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about Chomsky's approach appears to arise
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.26,0:05:22.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from people's belief that they have to man\Nthis barricade on one side or the other.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.01,0:05:28.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Either language is built in as birdsong,\Nlet us say, is built in, or
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.36,0:05:35.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it is wholly learned from exposure to\Nspecific properties of the environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.40,0:05:37.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why can't it be both?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.55,0:05:43.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, I take that this is\Nthe question of modern linguistics.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.51,0:05:50.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How much of language does a child have\Nto learn and how much is built in?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.85,0:05:51.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jill de Villiers,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.76,0:05:56.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at Smith College, can show that children\Nknow more than we think they do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.18,0:06:01.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Here's a story about a boy who\Nloved to climb trees in the forest.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.92,0:06:06.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But one afternoon, he slipped and\Nfell to the ground.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.36,0:06:10.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That night, when he had a bath,\Nhe found a big bruise on his arm.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.05,0:06:14.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He said to his dad, I must have hurt\Nmyself when I fell this afternoon.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.34,0:06:19.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When did the boy say he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.37,0:06:20.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.03,0:06:21.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.76,0:06:25.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Climbed up a tree.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.20,0:06:27.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Right, he did.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.41,0:06:30.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he was taking a bath.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.88,0:06:33.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> He was taking a bath.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.50,0:06:36.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.83,0:06:37.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In the bathtub.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.71,0:06:39.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In the bathtub, mm-hm.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.55,0:06:40.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he fell down from the tree.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.74,0:06:41.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> That's right.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.02,0:06:46.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When did the boy say he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.84,0:06:50.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he fell.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.94,0:06:52.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he fell this afternoon.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.54,0:06:53.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [LAUGH].\N>> Any other possibilities?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.57,0:06:54.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In the bathtub.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.58,0:06:57.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In the bathtub,\Nthere are two possibilities.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.53,0:07:00.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, he said it in the bathtub, and\Nhe hurt himself in the afternoon.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.74,0:07:05.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That night when he had a bath,\Nhe found a big bruise on his arm.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.15,0:07:09.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He said to his dad, I must have hurt\Nmyself when I fell this afternoon.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.47,0:07:13.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When did the boy say how he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.53,0:07:19.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In the bathtub.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.72,0:07:21.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he was bathed.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.30,0:07:25.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he was in the bath, you're right.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.03,0:07:26.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.54,0:07:27.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> So where's the other answer?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.58,0:07:32.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When did the boy say how he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.12,0:07:34.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why isn't it when he fell\Nout the tree that afternoon?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.02,0:07:37.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Give us the two events side by side?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.29,0:07:39.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When did the boy say he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.26,0:07:43.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When did the boy say how he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:43.42,0:07:48.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The presence of that middle question\Nhow [SOUND] seems to block one of
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.26,0:07:49.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the interpretations.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.100,0:07:53.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is not the kind of sentence\Nanybody has ever taught them about.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.11,0:07:56.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They haven't had lessons sitting down\Nwith their parents saying no, no,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.20,0:07:58.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no you misinterpreted what I meant.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.34,0:07:59.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I meant this.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.89,0:08:04.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would think that the child would have\Nto already have some kind of knowledge of
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.45,0:08:07.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,grammar and syntactical structure.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.02,0:08:09.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> This is the claim.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.30,0:08:11.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When did the boy say\Nhow he hurt himself?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.69,0:08:14.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When he was taking a bath.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.08,0:08:15.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Mm-hm.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.89,0:08:19.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It's the imitation theory\Nversus the innateness theory.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.40,0:08:21.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND] [SOUND] Now, listen,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.29,0:08:25.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I am going to teach you to\Nsay something very important.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.71,0:08:29.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It might be the most important\Nword you'll ever learn, okay?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.83,0:08:36.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that word is Ernie, okay,\Ngo ahead, say it, say Ernie.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.51,0:08:41.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> People often ask,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.55,0:08:45.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what's the big problem about\Na child learning grammar?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.58,0:08:49.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Doesn't the child just imitate what he or\Nshe hears?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.44,0:08:53.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Get reinforced one way or another and\Nend up knowing the language?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.08,0:08:57.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay, listen, here's Er-nie,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.49,0:09:02.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Er-nie, Er-nie, Er-nie, Er-nie,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.78,0:09:07.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND], now you just say, Ernie, okay?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.93,0:09:13.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> Our common sense
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.08,0:09:16.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,theory about how children learn to talk\Nis that they listen to their parents and
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.63,0:09:18.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they imitate their parents.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.54,0:09:23.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> But every child, like every adult,\Ncan produce brand new sentences that child
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.30,0:09:26.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has never heard before and\Nnever produced before.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.37,0:09:27.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I hate you, mommy.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.80,0:09:31.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, come on,\Nyou didn't learn this from your mother.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.64,0:09:34.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You just have to listen to\Na three-year-old for a few minutes to
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.77,0:09:39.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,realize that they're not simply imitating\Nwhat they hear from their parents.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.34,0:09:43.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I've heard children say things like,\Nstop giggling me, or
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.75,0:09:46.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my teacher holded the baby rabbits.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:46.44,0:09:50.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or my nose is crying,\Nwhen a child's nose is running, or
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.91,0:09:55.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm barefoot all over,\Nit's a very funny sort of imitation.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.87,0:09:58.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Now, Ernestine, look, watch.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.89,0:10:02.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Er-nie, Ernie.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.04,0:10:08.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> Well.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.38,0:10:10.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]\N>> Hi, Ernie.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.88,0:10:12.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Hi, Bert.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.12,0:10:13.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Bert!
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.04,0:10:17.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.74,0:10:21.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> If we don't learn by imitation,\Nhow do we learn?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:21.00,0:10:24.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:10:24.60,0:10:29.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's one of the linguists' strongest\Narguments that acquiring language is
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.09,0:10:31.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,different from learning.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.52,0:10:34.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because we don't seem to learn\Nlanguage the same way we learn other
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.95,0:10:36.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,difficult things.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.01,0:10:40.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.72,0:10:45.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> With learning how to ride a bicycle, we\Nall remember being told how to get on it,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.24,0:10:48.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,falling off, we even had training wheels.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:48.34,0:10:51.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we never give training wheels\Nwhen we're learning language.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.75,0:10:54.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact,\Nwhat we know is that when mothers try and
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.54,0:10:57.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,help their children learn\Nlanguage by making it simpler.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.89,0:11:01.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The children systematically ignore the\Ninformation that's being given to them.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.55,0:11:05.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I don't know why he says pajamas,\NI mean, jamamas,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.22,0:11:07.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I say pajamas, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.44,0:11:08.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Jamamas.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.87,0:11:10.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Jamamas?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.03,0:11:10.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What about pajamas?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.95,0:11:12.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Can you say pajamas?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.20,0:11:13.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Jamamas.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.59,0:11:16.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We come to cherish\Nour children's errors.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.56,0:11:19.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rare as they are, they're so cute.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.30,0:11:24.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When my little girl would say she\Nwanted to make wee-wee, I would say,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:24.13,0:11:25.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the word is urinate.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.58,0:11:29.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Urinate, I said, the word is urinate.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.17,0:11:31.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Urinate, dear.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.58,0:11:32.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Right, I'm a Nate.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:32.98,0:11:36.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:11:36.78,0:11:40.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We know that some mothers\Ncorrect their children, but
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.19,0:11:42.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we also know that not all mothers do.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.48,0:11:44.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [LAUGH]\N>> And
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.09,0:11:46.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we know that all children learn to speak.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:46.73,0:11:50.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It doesn't seem to matter how many\Ntimes I correct him, he still says,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.86,0:11:52.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,jamamas, he likes that word.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.66,0:11:53.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Jamamas.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:53.72,0:11:55.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.46,0:11:59.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Mothers are important,\Nbecause they provide a lot of the data.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.64,0:12:03.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> Kid makes a noise, and
Dialogue: 0,0:12:03.42,0:12:06.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the mother expands on it,\Nand that sort of thing, but
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.91,0:12:10.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,children don't copy\Nwhat's done around them.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.12,0:12:17.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They acquire language by being surrounded\Nby it, immersed in it all the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:17.02,0:12:18.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The philosopher, Wittgenstein,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.91,0:12:22.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,said that children acquire speech\Nby playing the language game.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.88,0:12:27.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A game in which mothers often\Nseem to imitate their children.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.23,0:12:28.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.32,0:12:29.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.28,0:12:30.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.09,0:12:32.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:12:32.27,0:12:33.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Ready!
Dialogue: 0,0:12:33.05,0:12:33.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:33.62,0:12:35.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Sammy is three and a half years old.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.84,0:12:39.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How much grammar does he know?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:39.04,0:12:44.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We know the Cookie Monster\Neats cookies and cakes, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:44.55,0:12:45.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ask the rat what he thinks.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:45.35,0:12:49.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]\N>> What do you think Cookie Monster eats?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:49.68,0:12:50.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:50.46,0:12:53.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think Cookie Monster eats?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:53.38,0:12:57.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I think Cookie Monster eats,\Nmaybe pizza?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:58.56,0:12:59.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Goodness.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.36,0:13:00.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Try again.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:00.45,0:13:02.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> So maybe he likes to eat cookies.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.55,0:13:05.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Cookies and what else?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:05.36,0:13:06.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Ice cream?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:08.25,0:13:10.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, that's a tough one, Sammy.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:10.27,0:13:14.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I'll give you a guess or\NI'll give you a hint.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:14.71,0:13:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay.\N>> It starts with a K.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:18.74,0:13:19.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It starts with a K.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:21.72,0:13:25.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think Cookie Monster eats?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:25.100,0:13:28.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> With a K, maybe cake.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:28.66,0:13:29.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Right!
Dialogue: 0,0:13:29.49,0:13:31.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:31.50,0:13:33.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Cookie.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:33.32,0:13:35.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think Cookie Monster eats?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.58,0:13:39.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's really rather remarkable that such a\Nyoung child can produce such a complicated
Dialogue: 0,0:13:39.33,0:13:39.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:39.86,0:13:41.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]\NThis is a complex sentence that has
Dialogue: 0,0:13:41.71,0:13:43.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one sentence inside another.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:43.37,0:13:46.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cookie Monster eats something,\Ninside the larger sentence,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:46.71,0:13:48.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you think Cookie Monster eats something.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:48.98,0:13:50.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then it's been changed into a question,\Nand
Dialogue: 0,0:13:50.98,0:13:55.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the way it's changed into a question is,\Nsomething has changed into what.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:55.13,0:13:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then what is displaced from\Nthe very end of this long sentence,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:58.28,0:13:59.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the very beginning.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:59.42,0:14:04.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:14:04.85,0:14:07.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The child was able to do it unerringly.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:07.05,0:14:09.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:14:09.56,0:14:13.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now it has been thought for\Na while that children take five,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:13.97,0:14:17.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,eight, 10, 12 years to learn their syntax.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:17.69,0:14:20.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To learn how to produce\Nsuch complicated sentences.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:20.13,0:14:24.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But experiments like these seem to\Nindicate that child was able to produce
Dialogue: 0,0:14:24.36,0:14:26.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this very complicated sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:26.35,0:14:28.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At an age when he has\Ndifficulty tying his shoes.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:28.70,0:14:31.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Just do the bow part for\Nme, would you, Sammy?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:31.11,0:14:31.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> One more?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:31.77,0:14:33.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Yeah, one more bow.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:33.56,0:14:38.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Any four-year-old can pull it\Noff with almost the facility that
Dialogue: 0,0:14:38.52,0:14:40.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,any 34-year-old can.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:40.61,0:14:43.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's quite a remarkable achievement, and
Dialogue: 0,0:14:43.56,0:14:47.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one which comes intuitively,\Nnaturally, unconsciously.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:47.71,0:14:49.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nothing troubles us about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:49.14,0:14:51.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No matter how young\Nyou investigate them,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:51.13,0:14:54.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they seem to get all of these\Nfundamental syntactic things right.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:54.26,0:14:56.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And nobody can teach that to the child.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:56.43,0:14:59.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think that's one of Chomsky's\Nmost powerful arguments.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:59.96,0:15:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]\NThis is something the child has to figure
Dialogue: 0,0:15:02.47,0:15:03.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on his own, or on her own.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:03.89,0:15:06.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:15:06.16,0:15:13.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Chomsky is often misunderstood as\Nclaiming that all of language is innate.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:13.12,0:15:17.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now I would go so far as to say\Nthat most of language is innate.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:17.19,0:15:19.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is, much of what you know\Nwhen you know a language,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:19.24,0:15:20.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you couldn't possibly have learned.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:20.82,0:15:25.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because you never had evidence for\Nit, you never had training in it,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:25.18,0:15:27.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but surely you don't inherit all of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:27.75,0:15:31.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Certainly nobody is saying\Nthat French is innate or
Dialogue: 0,0:15:31.45,0:15:36.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Spanish is innate, I mean,\Nthere is no argument of the sort.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:36.01,0:15:40.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There is a sense in which\Nlanguage is obviously learned
Dialogue: 0,0:15:40.85,0:15:45.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from specific facts in\Nthe surrounding environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:45.71,0:15:48.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The environment\Ncertainly has an effect.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:48.81,0:15:52.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, for example, I'm talking English,\NI'm not talking Japanese.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:52.25,0:15:55.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's because I grew up\Nin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:55.55,0:15:57.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not in Northeastern Tokyo.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:57.02,0:15:59.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> So experience is certainly relevant.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:59.84,0:16:05.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What Chomsky has shown is that\N>> A handsome prince came,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:05.90,0:16:10.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a little girl came out,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:10.72,0:16:15.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and laid on the couch.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:15.03,0:16:18.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A big girl came out, and\Nshe had a thing around here, and
Dialogue: 0,0:16:18.76,0:16:21.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she took it off and laid it on a girl.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:21.93,0:16:27.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The child is able to say sentences\Nthat he or she has never heard before.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:27.15,0:16:29.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And then she-\N>> Well, how could this be done?
Dialogue: 0,0:16:29.30,0:16:30.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And then she walked around and
Dialogue: 0,0:16:30.33,0:16:34.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she showed a handsome prince and\Nthen snow came down.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:34.30,0:16:37.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You could not debate that,\Nbeing so many sentences.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:37.58,0:16:41.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That the child has just heard all of\Nthese things, and memorized them.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:41.89,0:16:44.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And then we went in and\Nwatched a movie.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:44.32,0:16:49.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> There is a traditional semi-answer to\Nthis, and that is, we do it by analogy.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:49.52,0:16:53.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,New sentences are like the ones\Nwe've heard before, and
Dialogue: 0,0:16:53.01,0:16:55.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's how we understand them.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:55.06,0:16:59.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But let's have a look at that.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:59.09,0:17:01.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> So suppose we assume the child\Nhas heard the sentence,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:03.24,0:17:04.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I painted the red barn.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:05.87,0:17:11.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So now by analogy, the child can say,\NI painted a blue barn.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:11.36,0:17:16.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's exactly the kind of theory we want,\Nyou hear a sample,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:16.58,0:17:21.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you extend it to all of\Nthe new cases by similarity.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:21.98,0:17:27.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the right theory,\Nin addition to, I painted a red barn,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:27.64,0:17:31.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you may also hear the sentence,\NI painted a barn red.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:32.57,0:17:35.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it looks as if you can\Ntake those last two words and
Dialogue: 0,0:17:35.68,0:17:37.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,switch them around in their order.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:39.78,0:17:45.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That sounds good, so now you want to\Nextend this to the case of seeing.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:45.42,0:17:48.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because now you want to look at barns,\Ninstead of painting them.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:48.89,0:17:53.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you have heard I saw a red barn, so
Dialogue: 0,0:17:53.25,0:17:57.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,now you try a new sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:57.59,0:17:58.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I saw a barn red.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:00.11,0:18:01.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I saw a red barn.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:03.11,0:18:05.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I saw a barn red.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:05.12,0:18:09.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]\N>> Alarm, something's gone wrong.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:09.54,0:18:15.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is an analogy, but\Nthe analogy didn't work.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:15.11,0:18:18.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not a sentence event.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:18.38,0:18:21.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[NOISE]\N>> Even from these simple examples, we can
Dialogue: 0,0:18:21.18,0:18:26.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,see it warrants the concepts like analogy\Nyou're not going to do very much work.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:26.68,0:18:31.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, there is no, no one has\Never proposed a concept of analogy.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:31.75,0:18:36.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That it doesn't break down at once,\Nunder investigation.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:36.09,0:18:41.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, these examples show us that some\Nkind of mental computation is going on,
Dialogue: 0,0:18:41.36,0:18:43.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that it's providing rather\Nsurprising results.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:43.96,0:18:48.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]\N>> Suppose that a child has
Dialogue: 0,0:18:48.81,0:18:50.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,learned to understand the word, eat.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:50.09,0:18:54.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He knows that somebody does the eating,\Nsomething gets eaten.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:54.32,0:18:56.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He understands, John ate an apple.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:56.97,0:18:59.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's now faced with John ate.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:59.29,0:19:03.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, the child understands that, he or
Dialogue: 0,0:19:03.01,0:19:07.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she know that John ate,\Nmeans John ate something, or other.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:10.66,0:19:12.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Taro ate his sandwich.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:13.57,0:19:18.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But suppose that he hadn't eaten his\Nsandwich, suppose that he ate his shoe.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:18.21,0:19:21.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Taro ate his shoe, Taro ate his hat.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:21.87,0:19:23.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a funny thing to do, but
Dialogue: 0,0:19:23.66,0:19:26.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a perfectly normal thing to say,\Nif that's what Taro did.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:26.96,0:19:29.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But now, you can't say Taro ate.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:29.29,0:19:32.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Taro ate, means he ate his sandwich,\Nor ate breakfast, or lunch, or
Dialogue: 0,0:19:32.80,0:19:33.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something normal.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:33.92,0:19:36.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not his shoe, or his hat, or his words.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:36.15,0:19:41.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Taro ate, but he didn't eat his shoe.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:42.98,0:19:46.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do I know that,\Nhow does any speaker of English know that?
Dialogue: 0,0:19:46.34,0:19:48.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That Taro ate,\Ndoesn't mean that he ate his shoe.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:49.47,0:19:53.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Now let's extend that,\Nby analogy to new utterances.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:53.48,0:19:55.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Now suppose Taro's a farmer.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:55.61,0:20:00.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Suppose the same child hears\Nthe sentence, John grows tomatoes,
Dialogue: 0,0:20:00.43,0:20:03.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and knows that growing,\Nis something that a person can do.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:03.85,0:20:07.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And something gets grown, so\Nthat's just like, John eats an apple.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:07.53,0:20:12.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now supposed tomatoes is dropped so\Nwe have, John grows.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:12.15,0:20:16.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, now the sentence does not mean,\NJohn grows something or other, but
Dialogue: 0,0:20:16.91,0:20:18.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't know what.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:18.32,0:20:21.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, John grows means\Nsomething totally different.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:21.56,0:20:22.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Doesn't mean the same thing at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:23.91,0:20:25.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> John is undergoing some\Nsort of a development.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:25.94,0:20:31.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[NOISE] And I hear,\Nthe analogy is wildly broken.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:31.68,0:20:36.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But yet we all do this instantaneously,\Nwithout training, without experience.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:36.95,0:20:38.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in a way,
Dialogue: 0,0:20:38.14,0:20:43.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is based on principles that\Nare quite common to the human species.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:43.22,0:20:50.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And underly our very\Nunderstanding of language.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:50.73,0:20:52.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Pretend you're sick, okay?
Dialogue: 0,0:20:52.69,0:20:54.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [COUGH] I gotta call the doctor.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:54.82,0:20:56.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I'll call the doctor.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:56.62,0:20:57.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]\N>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:20:57.84,0:20:59.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We might ask how old the child
Dialogue: 0,0:20:59.62,0:21:00.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has to be,
Dialogue: 0,0:21:00.29,0:21:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before it begins to appreciate something\Nof the grammar of his native tongue.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:05.28,0:21:09.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay.\N>> Told you to give him some medicine.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:09.29,0:21:12.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Come on.\N>> When does he know about ideas like,
Dialogue: 0,0:21:12.07,0:21:15.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,subjects of the sentence and\Nobjects of a sentence?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:15.84,0:21:18.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When does he know the difference between,
Dialogue: 0,0:21:18.84,0:21:22.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the horse kicked the cow and\Nthe cow kicked the horse?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:22.60,0:21:26.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the subject is the one\Nwho does the kicking, and
Dialogue: 0,0:21:26.58,0:21:29.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the object is the one that got kicked?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:31.32,0:21:35.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Experiments at Temple University,\Ntry to learn how early the child knows.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:35.88,0:21:36.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Monster?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:38.18,0:21:39.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Where's Big Bird?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:41.53,0:21:43.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Find Big Bird.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:43.71,0:21:45.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where's Cookie Monster?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:45.27,0:21:47.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Find Cookie Monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:48.57,0:21:49.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where's Big Bird?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:49.82,0:21:54.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We present two films, one on the left\Nscreen, and one on the right screen.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:56.03,0:21:57.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Mama.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:57.18,0:22:00.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Then we simply ask the child\Nthrough a centralized speaker.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:00.34,0:22:03.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Where's Cookie Monster\Nwashing Big Bird?
Dialogue: 0,0:22:03.54,0:22:05.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Find Cookie Monster washing Big Bird.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:07.78,0:22:12.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> So, the question behind all our\Nstudies is, will the child look more
Dialogue: 0,0:22:12.56,0:22:16.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the screen that matches\Nthe language that they're hearing.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:16.95,0:22:19.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Look,\NBig Bird's feeding Cookie Monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:21.38,0:22:23.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Find Big Bird feeding Cookie Monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:23.57,0:22:24.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND] Ma.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:24.34,0:22:25.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ma.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:25.04,0:22:32.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ma. Ma. >> There's Cookie Monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:32.59,0:22:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The remarkable thing,\Nis that some of these children.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:35.73,0:22:37.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who are only 16 months old, and
Dialogue: 0,0:22:37.41,0:22:41.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who have only two words in\Ntheir productive vocabularies.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:41.03,0:22:44.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nonetheless, are understanding\Nthe order of the information,
Dialogue: 0,0:22:44.66,0:22:46.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as it comes into our sentences.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:46.53,0:22:49.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is, that Cookie Monster\Nis doing the action, and
Dialogue: 0,0:22:49.65,0:22:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he's in the first\Nposition in the sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:51.56,0:22:53.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Big Bird is receiving the action, and
Dialogue: 0,0:22:53.60,0:22:56.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he's in the second\Nposition in the sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:56.79,0:22:59.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Here's Big Bird,\Ntickling Cookie Monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:59.47,0:23:01.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Word order is one of the two devices,
Dialogue: 0,0:23:01.58,0:23:05.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that languages all over\Nthe world seem to use.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:05.07,0:23:08.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To map the objects and events,\Nthat are going on in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:08.82,0:23:11.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is a very important part of grammar,\Nand
Dialogue: 0,0:23:11.45,0:23:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,may in fact be telling us,\Nthat these young children have syntax.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:14.68,0:23:19.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> I think it
Dialogue: 0,0:23:19.46,0:23:24.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,makes very good sense to think of language\Nas essentially, an organ of the mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:24.26,0:23:27.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And bear in mind,\Nwhen we use the word mind,
Dialogue: 0,0:23:27.34,0:23:30.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're simply talking about\Nthe brain at some abstract level.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:31.80,0:23:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now remember,\Nwhen a child learns a language,
Dialogue: 0,0:23:34.00,0:23:36.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the child is basically\Ncreating the language.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:36.53,0:23:39.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The language is growing in a child's mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:41.32,0:23:42.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Does this apply to words?
Dialogue: 0,0:23:44.30,0:23:46.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Surely, words don't exist\Nin the child's mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:48.91,0:23:50.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [INAUDIBLE]\N>> Yet, we learn words so easily.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:50.27,0:23:54.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [INAUDIBLE]\N>> You might wonder if our
Dialogue: 0,0:23:54.01,0:23:56.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,brains give us some special help there,\Ntoo.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:56.98,0:23:59.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [INAUDIBLE]\N>> Problem is how the child learns
Dialogue: 0,0:23:59.26,0:24:00.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the meanings of words.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:00.82,0:24:01.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Circle.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:01.96,0:24:05.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN]\N>> Seems like a simple problem, and
Dialogue: 0,0:24:05.45,0:24:08.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I suppose it is a simple problem\Nfrom the point of view of a child.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:10.49,0:24:12.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The mother points to\Nsomething in the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:24:12.56,0:24:15.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let's say the car that's going by there,\Nand says, car.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:15.19,0:24:18.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the child says, aha!
Dialogue: 0,0:24:18.68,0:24:21.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The word car in English must mean car.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:23.36,0:24:26.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The travelers that can't\Nbe the whole story.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:26.23,0:24:28.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:24:28.43,0:24:32.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When my son was little,\Nwe had a dog called NuNu.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:32.30,0:24:37.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is his successor Freud,\Nand NuNu was a wonderful dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:37.01,0:24:38.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Very different from Freud.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:38.19,0:24:40.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She had hair all over her face, and
Dialogue: 0,0:24:40.60,0:24:44.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,two black shiny nostrils stuck\Nout from the middle of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:44.36,0:24:49.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nicholas loved NuNu, he liked to poke\Nhis fingers in her nostrils, and
Dialogue: 0,0:24:49.04,0:24:53.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as linguists, we were convinced\Nthat NuNu would be his first word.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:53.06,0:24:56.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It had the right structure to it,\Ntwo reduplicate it's syllables, and
Dialogue: 0,0:24:56.82,0:25:00.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sure enough,\NNuNu was Nicholas' first word.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:00.70,0:25:03.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But on the very same day\Nhe pointed to a picture
Dialogue: 0,0:25:03.60,0:25:08.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a golden cocker spaniel in\Na photograph, and he said, Nunu.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:08.01,0:25:10.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Very different from our own dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:10.24,0:25:13.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So perhaps the word meant dog in general.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:13.09,0:25:17.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But no, the very next day he pointed to\Na black and white cow and said, NuNu.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:17.51,0:25:19.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we thought maybe it\Nmeans animal in general.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:21.04,0:25:27.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But then we were in a shop and he saw\Nsome pink furry slippers like these ones,
Dialogue: 0,0:25:27.20,0:25:32.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he felt the slipper,\Nfelt how soft it was, and he said NuNu.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:32.41,0:25:35.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now what does the word mean?
Dialogue: 0,0:25:35.07,0:25:41.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But then we were in a restaurant,\Nand our salad was served and
Dialogue: 0,0:25:41.36,0:25:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nicholas took one look at it and\Nsaid, NuNu.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:46.06,0:25:47.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then he actually ate one of the olives.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:47.88,0:25:51.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> The question was when he said NuNu,
Dialogue: 0,0:25:51.86,0:25:52.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what did he mean?
Dialogue: 0,0:25:52.87,0:25:55.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:25:55.78,0:25:59.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The trick in learning\Na word meaning is not so
Dialogue: 0,0:25:59.21,0:26:03.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,much using it to apply to that\Nwhich you saw it applied to, but
Dialogue: 0,0:26:03.94,0:26:07.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,using it in the future\Nto apply to new things.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:07.78,0:26:14.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, the child who was introduced\Nto Fido and told this is a dog,
Dialogue: 0,0:26:14.33,0:26:18.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not only has to use the word\Ndog to refer to Fido, but
Dialogue: 0,0:26:18.47,0:26:20.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he has to know it applies to Rex.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:21.76,0:26:23.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It applies to Spot.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:23.94,0:26:25.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It doesn't apply to Felix.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:29.71,0:26:32.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How does the dog know\Nthat's another dog?
Dialogue: 0,0:26:34.21,0:26:37.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Words after all have meaning,\Nthey're signs.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:37.47,0:26:41.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So maybe what we want to say is that\Na word is something that stands for
Dialogue: 0,0:26:41.61,0:26:45.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a concept, but then we have another\Nquestion, what's a concept?
Dialogue: 0,0:26:48.18,0:26:50.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Take a word like house,\Nthat seems pretty simple.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:50.80,0:26:54.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You ask a five year old to draw a picture\Nof the house, and most of them give you
Dialogue: 0,0:26:54.53,0:26:58.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the same square thing with a chimney, and\Na couple of doors, and that kind of stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:58.74,0:27:02.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you say, okay that's a house, but then\Nif you think the concept, if you start
Dialogue: 0,0:27:02.23,0:27:06.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,worrying about yourself, all right,\Nwhat did somebody have in their head?
Dialogue: 0,0:27:06.75,0:27:11.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is the meaning of a house in my head\Ndifferent from the meaning of a house in
Dialogue: 0,0:27:11.03,0:27:13.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that Chinese persons\Nhead who lives in a cave?
Dialogue: 0,0:27:18.37,0:27:25.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND] A simple, homely item.
Dialogue: 0,0:27:25.40,0:27:26.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A clothes pin.
Dialogue: 0,0:27:26.21,0:27:27.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:27:27.49,0:27:31.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What else does a clothes pin,\Nafter you learn this word?
Dialogue: 0,0:27:31.06,0:27:31.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well,
Dialogue: 0,0:27:31.59,0:27:34.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:27:34.73,0:27:35.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How about that?
Dialogue: 0,0:27:35.78,0:27:39.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:27:39.68,0:27:40.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is that a clothes pin?
Dialogue: 0,0:27:41.47,0:27:46.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In some ways it's very much more\Nlike this object than that one is.
Dialogue: 0,0:27:46.82,0:27:50.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:27:50.08,0:27:53.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To understand what the problem\Nof word meaning is,
Dialogue: 0,0:27:53.46,0:27:57.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you have to understand how\Nthe child picks out a category.
Dialogue: 0,0:27:57.58,0:28:01.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A category of things which\Nare relevantly alike.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:01.25,0:28:06.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:28:06.59,0:28:08.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> A dog is alive.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:08.30,0:28:10.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is the concept of alive the same for\Neveryone?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:11.99,0:28:14.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do our concepts change as we grow up?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:15.66,0:28:16.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What does the word alive mean?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:18.25,0:28:19.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Are dogs alive?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:19.85,0:28:21.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Yes.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:21.23,0:28:22.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How come?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:22.08,0:28:25.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Because there's eyes, and\Nmouth, and teeth, and tongue.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:25.92,0:28:27.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And there's wagging tail.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:27.70,0:28:30.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Wagging tail, okay,\N>> Bark.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:30.50,0:28:31.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How about a worm?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:31.57,0:28:32.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is a worm alive?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:32.35,0:28:33.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Yes.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:33.25,0:28:33.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Eww.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:33.96,0:28:35.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Does a worm have legs?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:35.20,0:28:36.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No.\N>> No.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:36.13,0:28:37.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Does it have teeth?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:37.29,0:28:38.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No.\N>> No.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:38.31,0:28:40.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Well then how come a worm is alive?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:40.41,0:28:42.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Because it moves.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:42.23,0:28:45.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay, well then how about a car?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:45.48,0:28:46.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is a car alive?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:46.22,0:28:49.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No.\N>> Yes, because it moving.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:49.55,0:28:50.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think?
Dialogue: 0,0:28:50.77,0:28:53.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I think it's alive too.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:56.28,0:29:01.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What is a person referring to when he\Nor she says a word, and how do we know?
Dialogue: 0,0:29:02.24,0:29:07.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At Harvard University\Nphilosopher WVO Quine
Dialogue: 0,0:29:07.00,0:29:10.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,posed the question known\Nas the gavagai problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:11.94,0:29:14.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Suppose you find yourself someplace\Nyou don't know anything about.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:16.20,0:29:19.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Next to you there's a man, and\Nyou don't know what language he speaks.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:20.78,0:29:25.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At that moment a rabbit\Ncrosses the horizon and
Dialogue: 0,0:29:25.97,0:29:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the man says to you gavagai.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:32.20,0:29:32.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gavagai.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:34.74,0:29:35.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What does he mean?
Dialogue: 0,0:29:35.93,0:29:40.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think I mean?
Dialogue: 0,0:29:40.28,0:29:41.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Gavagai.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:41.77,0:29:42.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Blue rabbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:42.71,0:29:43.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[LAUGH]\N>> It's a rabbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:43.91,0:29:47.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> If you pretend that you can't\Nunderstand my language at all and
Dialogue: 0,0:29:47.87,0:29:52.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I point up there and I say, gavagai,\Nwhat do you think I mean by that?
Dialogue: 0,0:29:53.43,0:29:55.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> A rabbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:55.51,0:29:56.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Look at the rabbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:56.25,0:30:00.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How do you know I don't mean fur?
Dialogue: 0,0:30:00.04,0:30:05.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It could be animal,\Na physical object, a hippity hop.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:05.20,0:30:06.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Gavagai.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:06.99,0:30:08.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Rabbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:08.01,0:30:12.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The only evidence is that it's\Nappropriate to announce gavagai in
Dialogue: 0,0:30:12.87,0:30:16.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the presence of a rabbit, but\Nthe rabbit is present only when
Dialogue: 0,0:30:18.60,0:30:20.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rabbit parts are present,\Nprovided they're undetached.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:20.86,0:30:22.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rabbit parts.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:22.05,0:30:26.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Furthermore, a rabbit is\Npresent only when the abstract
Dialogue: 0,0:30:26.61,0:30:30.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,attribute of rabbithood is manifested, but
Dialogue: 0,0:30:30.96,0:30:34.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the abstract property of rabbithood\Nis quite another thing for rabbits.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:34.59,0:30:37.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How do you know that\NI didn't mean ears?
Dialogue: 0,0:30:39.35,0:30:42.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> All of these ideas apparently\Ndon't come to child's mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:42.29,0:30:47.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What comes to his mind is rabbit, and
Dialogue: 0,0:30:47.28,0:30:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the question is how this could be?
Dialogue: 0,0:30:52.00,0:30:54.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> For a child to learn a word meaning,
Dialogue: 0,0:30:54.06,0:30:56.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it would help to have certain\Ninherited assumptions.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:57.82,0:30:58.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What assumptions?
Dialogue: 0,0:30:58.68,0:31:00.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Have you ever seen one of these before?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:00.73,0:31:02.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What might an inborn assumption be?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:02.99,0:31:06.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Well, this here is called a flemic.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:06.79,0:31:08.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> How you do that?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:08.96,0:31:10.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It's called a flemic.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:10.29,0:31:11.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Coud I try one of them?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:11.39,0:31:13.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Now, what do you think this is called?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:13.22,0:31:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Flemic.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:14.68,0:31:16.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wait this one's open and\Nthat one's closed.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:16.46,0:31:19.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that can't be a Flemic.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:19.45,0:31:22.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What do you think it is?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:22.13,0:31:24.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Closed.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:24.06,0:31:24.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [LAUGH] Yeah.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:25.62,0:31:28.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children are biased learners.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:28.03,0:31:32.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're not open-mindly considering\Nall the possible hypothesis about
Dialogue: 0,0:31:32.36,0:31:35.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what a word could mean and\Nwaiting for the evidence to come in.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:35.78,0:31:40.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the assumptions that they make\Nabout what words could mean is they
Dialogue: 0,0:31:40.53,0:31:44.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,start out expecting object labels\Nto refer to the whole object.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:44.82,0:31:46.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:31:46.25,0:31:49.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when someone points to an object and\Nsays, see the dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:49.55,0:31:51.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Can you put the dog in there?
Dialogue: 0,0:31:51.53,0:31:56.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They start out expecting that a label\Nwill refer to the whole object,
Dialogue: 0,0:31:56.10,0:32:02.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not to its part, not to its substance, not\Nto its color, shape, size, and so forth.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:02.01,0:32:03.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where's the ball?
Dialogue: 0,0:32:03.11,0:32:04.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Put the ball in there.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:04.88,0:32:08.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> They expect the label that they hear\Nto refer to the object as a whole.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:10.67,0:32:11.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Okay.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:11.47,0:32:13.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What other assumptions could they have?
Dialogue: 0,0:32:13.57,0:32:14.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Hand me the spud.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:14.79,0:32:16.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> This one.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:16.23,0:32:17.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Why do you think that's the spider?
Dialogue: 0,0:32:19.54,0:32:22.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Well I think because it looks like it.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:22.90,0:32:24.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It looks like a spider,\Nthat's a good answer.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:24.68,0:32:29.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children expect objects to have one and\Nonly one label.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:29.97,0:32:34.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Children expect an object to have one and\Nonly one name.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:34.15,0:32:38.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]\N>> If a child already knows that that's
Dialogue: 0,0:32:38.06,0:32:42.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called a flimmick and he's asked to point\Nto the spud you can easily pick this
Dialogue: 0,0:32:42.44,0:32:46.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,object out because he knows that can't\Nbe a spud because it's a flimmick.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:46.77,0:32:48.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if it's a flimmick, it's not a spud.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:48.17,0:32:49.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Flimmicks.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:49.44,0:32:50.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Flimmicks.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:50.72,0:32:51.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Flimmicks.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:54.33,0:32:57.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Words seem to be learned one by one.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:57.63,0:33:00.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just what the common sense idea might be.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:00.59,0:33:01.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Animal.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:02.32,0:33:04.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You learn language by learning an item.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:04.73,0:33:08.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps by explicit instruction and\Nin effect memorize them.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:08.56,0:33:09.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Animal.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:09.90,0:33:13.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> To a large extent, I would say\Nwords might well be learned that way.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:14.30,0:33:14.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Animal.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:16.08,0:33:17.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Sentences, surely,\Naren't learned that way.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:19.13,0:33:22.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> My birthday.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:22.27,0:33:25.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When you want to use a sentence,\Nyou're surely creating something new.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:25.57,0:33:28.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when you understand the sentence\Nthat somebody else utters,
Dialogue: 0,0:33:28.33,0:33:31.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you are really participating\Nin an act of creation.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:31.36,0:33:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Each summer, I go to Puerto Rico.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:36.42,0:33:37.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And my grandma lives there.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:38.89,0:33:41.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But before she used to live in Miami and
Dialogue: 0,0:33:43.99,0:33:48.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she had a dog and it was named Pepper.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:48.93,0:33:50.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You've got a finite number of words.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:50.84,0:33:51.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And it ran away.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:51.73,0:33:54.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You've got a very\Nsmall number of rules and
Dialogue: 0,0:33:54.95,0:34:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,together you can use them to make\Nup an infinite number of sentences.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:00.00,0:34:00.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the system.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:00.73,0:34:02.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:34:02.61,0:34:06.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And it's a toy store and\Nan ice cream store.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:07.86,0:34:13.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The richness of the concepts\Nthat we employ, and
Dialogue: 0,0:34:13.13,0:34:17.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the minimal character,\Nthe evidence on which we've derived them.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:17.28,0:34:21.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Essentially leaves no alternative but to\Nbelieve that these concepts are available
Dialogue: 0,0:34:21.87,0:34:24.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,prior to experience and we're simply\Nselecting them out of a store.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:25.93,0:34:28.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that means that in effect\Nwe're sort of born with it.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:28.36,0:34:32.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:34:32.37,0:34:36.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> For the claim to be right that the\Nhuman species has a common human language,
Dialogue: 0,0:34:36.83,0:34:40.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wouldn't we have to find it being used,\Neven in far off places?
Dialogue: 0,0:34:40.62,0:34:42.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:34:42.91,0:34:45.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like Papua New Guinea?
Dialogue: 0,0:34:45.02,0:34:48.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> Here on this island,
Dialogue: 0,0:34:48.05,0:34:53.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,many tribes with many cultures have lived\Napart from the rest of the world for eons.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:53.26,0:34:57.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> Are their languages anything like ours?
Dialogue: 0,0:34:57.26,0:35:05.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:35:05.26,0:35:10.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> This region, Melanesia,\Ncontains 0.1% of the world's
Dialogue: 0,0:35:10.90,0:35:16.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,population and\Nabout 20% of the world's languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:16.12,0:35:19.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's nothing like this country\Nin the world linguistically.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:19.87,0:35:25.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This country has 750 different languages\Nspoken by three million people.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:25.69,0:35:28.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some of them as different\Nas English from French.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:28.71,0:35:31.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some of them as different\Nas French from Chinese.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:31.85,0:35:35.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:35:35.90,0:35:45.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:35:53.96,0:35:55.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The Manu people have never written
Dialogue: 0,0:35:55.22,0:35:55.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their language.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:58.93,0:36:00.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> They've never invented the wheel,
Dialogue: 0,0:36:00.18,0:36:04.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but they speak a language that\Nhas as complicated a grammar and
Dialogue: 0,0:36:04.82,0:36:06.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,discourse structure as any\Nother language in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:08.59,0:36:12.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Carl Whitehead of Manchester England\Nhas lived here with his family for
Dialogue: 0,0:36:12.34,0:36:12.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ten years.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:13.91,0:36:17.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To complete his study of\Nthe Manga language he thinks
Dialogue: 0,0:36:17.34,0:36:19.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,may take him another ten years.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:19.46,0:36:26.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> The single
Dialogue: 0,0:36:26.99,0:36:31.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most remarkable feature of the Manga\Nlanguage is the verb system.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:31.10,0:36:36.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most verbs can have anywhere between\N2,000 and 3,000 different forms,
Dialogue: 0,0:36:36.98,0:36:41.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but compared to English where\Na verb can have up to five forms.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:44.07,0:36:49.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It has a vague complex model system,\Nbut as where English talks of I may go,
Dialogue: 0,0:36:49.95,0:36:56.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can go, I should go, I will go, Manga\Ncollapses all that into a single word.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:56.48,0:37:01.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It has about 14 different ways of\Nreferring to an event that hasn't
Dialogue: 0,0:37:01.81,0:37:05.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,happened yet, but that could or that will\Nor should happen sometime in the future.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:05.58,0:37:10.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> That's the genius of Manga.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:10.23,0:37:14.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> When
Dialogue: 0,0:37:14.74,0:37:19.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we start looking across linguistically,\Nwe find great universals.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:19.39,0:37:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't find dozens or
Dialogue: 0,0:37:21.78,0:37:23.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hundreds of different ways of\Nbuilding the human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:23.95,0:37:26.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We find a very small set of possibilities.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:27.44,0:37:30.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One possibility has to do with\Nthe position of the verb.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:30.90,0:37:33.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can put the verb at the beginning,\Nthe middle, or the end.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:33.56,0:37:43.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:37:50.15,0:37:51.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The Manga verb [FOREIGN] can have many
Dialogue: 0,0:37:51.97,0:37:54.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,different meanings,\Ndepending on its context.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:55.67,0:37:56.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It doesn't occur by itself.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:56.92,0:37:59.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So by itself, it is meaningless.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:59.48,0:38:03.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the noun in combination with the verb\N[FOREIGN] that has specific meaning.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:05.54,0:38:11.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, for example,\N[FOREIGN] means she is washing.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:11.45,0:38:15.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN] He is crying.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:15.39,0:38:20.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN]\NHe's rubbing mud on his face.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:20.66,0:38:24.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN]\NHe's building a fence.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:24.50,0:38:27.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN] It is raining.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:27.52,0:38:30.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:38:30.73,0:38:33.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there's a couple of poetic\Nones that I really like.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:33.46,0:38:37.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first one is referring\Nto an aura around the moon.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:37.00,0:38:43.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN], which literally means\Nthe moon is building a fence.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:43.05,0:38:46.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN]\N>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:38:46.81,0:38:49.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And the other one refers to a special
Dialogue: 0,0:38:49.21,0:38:54.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kind of sunset when the whole ground\Nlights up with a bright orange glow.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:54.43,0:38:58.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the expression is, [FOREIGN].
Dialogue: 0,0:38:58.68,0:39:01.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which literally means,\Nthe sun is painting the ground red.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:01.74,0:39:05.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:39:05.36,0:39:12.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:39:12.93,0:39:15.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The reasonable first guess from all
Dialogue: 0,0:39:15.27,0:39:19.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,observers is that languages\Nare utterly different from each other.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:19.80,0:39:25.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> There are 5,000, maybe more than\N5,000 languages spoken in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:25.37,0:39:27.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you're studying a foreign language,
Dialogue: 0,0:39:27.45,0:39:30.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what you notice is how different that\Nlanguage is from the one that you speak.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:30.72,0:39:33.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of course,\Nwhat you notice are the differences.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:33.27,0:39:37.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But in fact,\Nwhat Chomsky noticed is that these 5,000
Dialogue: 0,0:39:37.57,0:39:41.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,languages of the world are really very,\Nvery similar.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:41.62,0:39:46.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:39:46.11,0:39:52.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:39:52.94,0:39:55.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You could even consider the 5,000 so
Dialogue: 0,0:39:55.21,0:39:57.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called languages that\Nare spoken on this planet,
Dialogue: 0,0:39:57.93,0:40:00.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be all dialects of one language,\Nhuman language.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:00.88,0:40:07.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN]\N>> There
Dialogue: 0,0:40:07.44,0:40:10.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was a tremendous change in\Nthe research program for
Dialogue: 0,0:40:10.11,0:40:13.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,linguistics right around\Nthe turn of the 20th Century.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:13.92,0:40:16.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the leading figure in this change
Dialogue: 0,0:40:16.72,0:40:19.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was a Swiss linguist named\NFerdinand de Saussure.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:20.90,0:40:25.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Saussure thought of languages\Nvery much like chess games.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:25.08,0:40:28.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That each language has a set of pieces,\Nnamely,
Dialogue: 0,0:40:28.73,0:40:32.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the building blocks of the language,\Nthe words, the sounds.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:32.11,0:40:35.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they were put together\Nby different rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:35.01,0:40:39.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> Different languages, of course,
Dialogue: 0,0:40:39.91,0:40:40.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have different rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:40.75,0:40:43.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> Interestingly,
Dialogue: 0,0:40:43.49,0:40:48.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Saussure discovered every\Nlanguage has rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:48.18,0:40:51.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are no languages that are so\Nprimitive, for example,
Dialogue: 0,0:40:51.42,0:40:53.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they don't have rules at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:53.34,0:40:56.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> There's no such thing as a primitive\Nlanguage or primitive people, for
Dialogue: 0,0:40:56.40,0:40:57.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:57.88,0:41:00.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And that was an important discovery.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:00.04,0:41:03.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because before the beginning of\Nthe 20th century people talked
Dialogue: 0,0:41:03.55,0:41:05.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,freely about primitive languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:05.76,0:41:10.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What Saussure and people who worked around\Nhim said was, every langauage has rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:10.89,0:41:12.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:41:12.59,0:41:15.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Every language?
Dialogue: 0,0:41:15.97,0:41:18.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everywhere?
Dialogue: 0,0:41:18.27,0:41:20.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:41:20.34,0:41:23.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the Bering Sea on St. Lawrence island,
Dialogue: 0,0:41:23.09,0:41:27.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is one of the last hold outs of\Na language called Siberian Yupik Eskimo,
Dialogue: 0,0:41:27.66,0:41:32.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,once thought to have complex rules\Ncompletely different from other languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:34.87,0:41:41.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yet, examined carefully, even Eskimo turns\Nout to be less different than it sounds.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:41.86,0:41:46.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One scholar of the language is\Na native of the island, Darlene Orr.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:47.34,0:41:51.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The people here on St Lawrence Island\Nspeak Siberian Yupik.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:51.30,0:41:57.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it is also spoken on the other side,\Nand that's in the Siberian part.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:57.41,0:42:04.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the only indigenous language
Dialogue: 0,0:42:04.07,0:42:09.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the old world and to the new,
Dialogue: 0,0:42:09.84,0:42:16.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spoken by non colonial peoples.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:16.06,0:42:17.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:42:17.63,0:42:24.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:42:26.13,0:42:27.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The language,
Dialogue: 0,0:42:27.45,0:42:29.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the verb might go in one place.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:29.17,0:42:32.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In another language this sound\Nmight pattern this way, but
Dialogue: 0,0:42:32.79,0:42:34.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,another language in a different way.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:34.72,0:42:37.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But every language has rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:37.97,0:42:41.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> [FOREIGN]
Dialogue: 0,0:42:41.08,0:42:41.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN].
Dialogue: 0,0:42:41.99,0:42:46.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that means,\Nwere you trying to call him?
Dialogue: 0,0:42:46.80,0:42:51.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> There are two major ground plans,\Ntwo great options in building a language.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:51.47,0:42:56.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Relying on the order of words to convey\Nthe meaning of your overall thought, or
Dialogue: 0,0:42:56.38,0:42:59.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,changing the endings of the words one\Nby one, and then shuffling them around.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:59.63,0:43:03.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> The reason this word looks so long,
Dialogue: 0,0:43:03.46,0:43:08.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is because Siberian Yupik Eskimo\Nrelies heavily
Dialogue: 0,0:43:08.63,0:43:13.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on suffixation using suffixes in a word.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:13.52,0:43:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are no prefixes or\Ninfixes in Siberian Yupik.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:17.00,0:43:21.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And linguists speculate that this is\Nprobably the most inflected language in
Dialogue: 0,0:43:21.24,0:43:26.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the world, which means that it could\Nhave multitudes of suffixes for endings.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:26.34,0:43:28.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This part means being acted upon.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:28.81,0:43:31.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This much here means without.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:31.11,0:43:33.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the last part means us.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:33.42,0:43:39.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the whole word means,
Dialogue: 0,0:43:39.38,0:43:45.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without us being sprayed
Dialogue: 0,0:43:45.34,0:43:51.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,upon by water when you're
Dialogue: 0,0:43:51.59,0:43:56.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,traveling in a boat.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:56.75,0:43:59.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:43:59.05,0:44:01.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children seem to love rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:01.71,0:44:03.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's this kind of phenomenal.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:03.04,0:44:07.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The fact that children seem to love\Nrule making that has led many people to
Dialogue: 0,0:44:07.44,0:44:10.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,propose that there's something\Nspecial about the learning of grammar.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:12.46,0:44:14.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The children essentially\Ncome pre programmed,
Dialogue: 0,0:44:14.88,0:44:18.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,perhaps with some innate ideas about\Nthe forms that languages will take.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:18.76,0:44:21.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:44:21.48,0:44:25.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In advance of experience,\Nthe child is already equipped with
Dialogue: 0,0:44:25.75,0:44:30.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an understanding of the basic\Nstructure of any human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:30.21,0:44:33.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we know, even in advance of inquiry,
Dialogue: 0,0:44:33.88,0:44:37.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there's going to be a fundamental\Ninvariant core to language.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:37.85,0:44:42.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [FOREIGN]\N>> Linguists have come
Dialogue: 0,0:44:42.70,0:44:46.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to use the term Universal Grammar.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:46.98,0:44:52.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a notion that there's some\Nunderlying set of characteristics
Dialogue: 0,0:44:52.53,0:44:56.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are true of all languages,\Nall over the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:59.10,0:45:02.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> All human languages have\Nsomething that is sort of nouny, and
Dialogue: 0,0:45:02.24,0:45:04.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something that is sort of verby.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:04.12,0:45:06.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They all do.\NAll human languages have a way to make
Dialogue: 0,0:45:06.21,0:45:07.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,things negative.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:07.15,0:45:09.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No way, Jose.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:09.94,0:45:11.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No way, Jose.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:11.94,0:45:16.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> All human languages have\Na way to ask a question.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:16.12,0:45:20.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> If I'm asking a question,\NI'll lower my eye brows.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:20.04,0:45:21.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where are you from?
Dialogue: 0,0:45:21.20,0:45:22.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's your name?
Dialogue: 0,0:45:22.51,0:45:23.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who is that person?
Dialogue: 0,0:45:23.91,0:45:27.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> All human languages have a way to\Nindicate the difference between just one
Dialogue: 0,0:45:27.69,0:45:29.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and more than one.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:29.33,0:45:34.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> In the Eskimo languages you have\Nnot only the singular, for example,
Dialogue: 0,0:45:34.89,0:45:41.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[FOREIGN], one rabbit, [FOREIGN], two\Nrabbits, [FOREIGN], three or more rabbits.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:42.88,0:45:47.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so it goes, each language has a list\Nof obligatory distinctions, male, female,
Dialogue: 0,0:45:47.30,0:45:51.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,definite, indefinite, singular,\Nplural, past, present.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:51.16,0:45:56.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the stock of categories that the\Nhuman mind uses to schematize experience.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:56.72,0:46:00.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And Chomsky asked the question,\Nwhy is this?
Dialogue: 0,0:46:00.07,0:46:01.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why are languages so similar?
Dialogue: 0,0:46:01.93,0:46:04.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why are they all cut from the same mold?
Dialogue: 0,0:46:04.11,0:46:07.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And his answer was-\N>> There are fixed invariant principles,
Dialogue: 0,0:46:07.83,0:46:12.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fixed invariant structural principles,\Nwhich are simply part of the human
Dialogue: 0,0:46:12.08,0:46:16.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,biological endowment, and that determine\Nwhat counts as a human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:16.77,0:46:21.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It's because the human\Nbrain is pre wired to accept
Dialogue: 0,0:46:21.56,0:46:24.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,only certain kinds of languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:24.24,0:46:27.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that the grammatical properties\Nof the languages of the world
Dialogue: 0,0:46:27.08,0:46:32.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have those properties that they do because\Nthe human mind has those properties.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:32.61,0:46:37.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Those things, which are true of\Nall languages, are the candidates for
Dialogue: 0,0:46:37.74,0:46:41.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what the child comes\Ninto the world knowing
Dialogue: 0,0:46:41.23,0:46:46.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about the nature of the language\Nto which he is being exposed.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:47.08,0:46:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> The child might very\Nwell have a plan for
Dialogue: 0,0:46:51.56,0:46:54.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what is a possible rule\Nin a human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:54.21,0:46:58.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So languages can have verbs then objects,\Nor objects then verbs, but
Dialogue: 0,0:46:58.65,0:47:03.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,those are two possibilities that every\Nlanguage has one or the other of.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:03.26,0:47:10.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the child can simply worry about which\Nof those two versions his language has.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:10.75,0:47:13.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What he's got to pick up are particular\Nversions of the rules that everyone else
Dialogue: 0,0:47:13.70,0:47:14.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the community is using.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:14.71,0:47:18.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:47:18.44,0:47:23.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> You have this one, you have this one,\Nyou have this one, you have this one.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:23.37,0:47:26.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]\NEverybody got their pictures?
Dialogue: 0,0:47:26.39,0:47:29.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What did your person do\Nbefore they went to school?
Dialogue: 0,0:47:30.83,0:47:33.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> He drive to school.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:33.16,0:47:34.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> He did what?
Dialogue: 0,0:47:34.30,0:47:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> They drive.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:36.00,0:47:37.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Drive to school?
Dialogue: 0,0:47:37.84,0:47:42.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children are designed in such a way to\Nlook for rules in the data around them.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:42.24,0:47:45.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're very good at finding\Nrules that are there, and
Dialogue: 0,0:47:45.82,0:47:49.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're very good at even over\Ngeneralizing these rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:49.65,0:47:50.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:47:50.99,0:47:51.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What's going overhead?
Dialogue: 0,0:47:55.90,0:47:56.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Goose.
Dialogue: 0,0:47:59.15,0:47:59.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Geeses.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:01.12,0:48:05.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We find everywhere that children take\Nthe irregular patterns of their language
Dialogue: 0,0:48:05.15,0:48:07.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and try to make them as\Nregular as possible.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:07.69,0:48:11.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So just like English speaking\Nchildren will say things like,
Dialogue: 0,0:48:11.33,0:48:15.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,two foots instead of two feet, or\Nit breaked instead of it broke.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:15.18,0:48:18.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Children in every language will fill in\Nthe missing gaps, fill in the errors and
Dialogue: 0,0:48:18.52,0:48:20.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,try to make the language follow a system.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:20.28,0:48:22.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They have a clear sense of system.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:22.23,0:48:27.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> We find that deaf children of deaf\Nparents begin to learn first words and
Dialogue: 0,0:48:27.32,0:48:29.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then begin to learn the grammar.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:29.70,0:48:33.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the same age as hearing\Nchildren learn spoken language.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:33.36,0:48:36.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in so doing, we find they make\Nthe same kinds of mistakes or
Dialogue: 0,0:48:36.75,0:48:38.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over-generalizations.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:38.25,0:48:41.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Showing that, in fact, they're extracting\Nout the rules of the language.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:41.85,0:48:45.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if you want to sign, this is duck,\Nif you want to sign two ducks,
Dialogue: 0,0:48:45.27,0:48:47.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you'd probably say, two ducks.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:47.04,0:48:48.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:48:48.54,0:48:52.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, a deaf baby instead will\Nover-generalize and sign two ducks,
Dialogue: 0,0:48:52.30,0:48:52.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like this.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:52.96,0:48:56.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND] So they are looking for\Nsome deep principles,
Dialogue: 0,0:48:56.77,0:48:59.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they follow these deep principles.
Dialogue: 0,0:48:59.88,0:49:04.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the language chooses to violate\Nthose principles now and then,
Dialogue: 0,0:49:04.49,0:49:08.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the children seem to say,\Nso much for the language.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:08.12,0:49:11.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Ruth says that they're foots,\NI say that they're feet.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:11.36,0:49:13.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What do you say they are?
Dialogue: 0,0:49:13.29,0:49:16.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> I say they're foots.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:16.40,0:49:20.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> But there's certain kinds of mistakes\Nthat children never seem to make.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:20.13,0:49:23.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even when it seems very reasonable\Nthat they might make a mistake.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:23.14,0:49:26.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children will be able to ask questions\Nlike, what did you eat your eggs with?
Dialogue: 0,0:49:26.91,0:49:30.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But no child has ever asked the question,\Nwhat did you eat your eggs and?
Dialogue: 0,0:49:30.77,0:49:34.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even though that's a straightforward\Nextention of, I ate ham and eggs.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:35.78,0:49:40.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Children will hear, I baked a cake for\NMary, I baked Mary a cake.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:40.81,0:49:44.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They'll hear, I painted the house for\Nsix hours, they'll never say,
Dialogue: 0,0:49:44.57,0:49:46.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I painted six hours the house.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:47.66,0:49:49.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why don't children make these errors?
Dialogue: 0,0:49:49.25,0:49:50.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're perfectly logical.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:50.67,0:49:54.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's very hard to figure out on the basis\Nof what the various sentences look like
Dialogue: 0,0:49:54.83,0:49:57.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why the child wouldn't\Nmake these obvious leaps.
Dialogue: 0,0:49:57.51,0:49:59.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you can say,\Nwhat did you eat eggs with?
Dialogue: 0,0:49:59.41,0:50:02.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why can't you say,\Nwhat did you eat eggs and?
Dialogue: 0,0:50:02.18,0:50:05.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> When we imagine a reasonable sort\Nof mistake for a child to make, but
Dialogue: 0,0:50:05.83,0:50:07.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,never find a child making it.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:07.84,0:50:11.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We assume that the mistake\Nwould violate some principle or
Dialogue: 0,0:50:11.92,0:50:13.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rule of universal grammar.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:13.93,0:50:17.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Universal grammar is what the child\Nalready knew and doesn't have to learn.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:17.75,0:50:19.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What's in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:50:19.39,0:50:21.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Ask him what he thinks.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:21.09,0:50:22.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think what's in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:50:22.81,0:50:25.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:50:25.07,0:50:29.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Well,\Nthat sounded to me like monster heads.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:29.64,0:50:30.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No!
Dialogue: 0,0:50:30.58,0:50:32.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [LAUGH] Silly, silly.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:32.59,0:50:34.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know, M&M's.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:34.44,0:50:36.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think what's in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:50:36.73,0:50:37.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Great!
Dialogue: 0,0:50:37.87,0:50:38.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Great.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:38.73,0:50:41.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> An adult would say,\Nwhat do you think is in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:50:41.63,0:50:42.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Sam said.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:42.47,0:50:44.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think what's in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:50:44.91,0:50:49.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It's not just a random error, it's not\Nputting the words together in any old way.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:49.50,0:50:53.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rather it's a mistake that's actually\Na rule of a number of other languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:53.90,0:50:55.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example,\Nin certain dialects of German,
Dialogue: 0,0:50:55.100,0:50:59.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,exactly the way you would ask this\Nquestion is by repeating the what.
Dialogue: 0,0:50:59.12,0:51:02.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It just doesn't happen to be\Nthe syntactic rule of English.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:02.11,0:51:03.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> What do you think was in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:51:03.88,0:51:06.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> He's not born knowing\Nthe grammar of English, but
Dialogue: 0,0:51:06.67,0:51:10.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what he knows is that languages\Nwill fall into these classes.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:10.34,0:51:13.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he won't step outside\Nthose classes and
Dialogue: 0,0:51:13.03,0:51:16.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,create some novel language that\Ncouldn't be a human language.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:16.98,0:51:21.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:51:21.74,0:51:28.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND] I'm still holding me.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:28.14,0:51:30.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Stop, stop!
Dialogue: 0,0:51:30.21,0:51:31.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let go of me!
Dialogue: 0,0:51:31.84,0:51:34.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No!
Dialogue: 0,0:51:34.92,0:51:35.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No, no, no.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:35.68,0:51:36.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> No!
Dialogue: 0,0:51:36.38,0:51:40.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> If we weren't so familiar with them,\Nwe'd realize that three-year-olds
Dialogue: 0,0:51:40.56,0:51:43.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are among the most exotic\Ncreatures on the planet.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:43.35,0:51:46.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We usually don't think of them as\Nterribly competent intellectually.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:46.76,0:51:52.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't let them drive or vote,\Nit's hard to teach them long division.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:52.92,0:51:55.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think about what it feels as\Nthem when they learn how to talk.
Dialogue: 0,0:51:55.92,0:52:01.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He hasn't gotten any lessons, all he's\Ndone is listen to other people talk.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:01.52,0:52:06.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He makes very few errors and unlearns them\Nwithout having to have been corrected.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:06.22,0:52:11.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are countless, logical,\Ntempting errors that he never makes.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:11.76,0:52:15.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in less than two years,\Nhe's developed the ability to
Dialogue: 0,0:52:15.92,0:52:20.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,express an infinite variety of\Nbrand new thoughts into words.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:20.43,0:52:23.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In a way that other people know\Nexactly what he's thinking.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:23.25,0:52:26.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:52:26.03,0:52:28.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> There are a number of\Nquite striking conclusions.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:28.93,0:52:34.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,General conclusions that we've\Narrived at as a result of this study,
Dialogue: 0,0:52:34.24,0:52:37.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even with our present partial knowledge.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:37.48,0:52:42.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One is a kind of awe at the intricacy and
Dialogue: 0,0:52:42.11,0:52:47.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,complexity of the mind and its resources.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:47.34,0:52:51.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The structures of language that\Nthe child automatically constructs on
Dialogue: 0,0:52:51.93,0:52:55.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the basis of extremely sparse evidence.
Dialogue: 0,0:52:55.50,0:52:59.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A second conclusion is that,\Nthese intricate,
Dialogue: 0,0:52:59.48,0:53:03.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,subtle resources must be\Nshared across the species.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:03.85,0:53:08.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Since the systems of thought and\Nexpression that the child's mind
Dialogue: 0,0:53:08.25,0:53:12.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,develops are only barely hinted\Nat by the experience available.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:12.58,0:53:15.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They must be deriving\Nfrom the child's mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:15.76,0:53:18.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the child's mind is the same,
Dialogue: 0,0:53:18.04,0:53:22.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether the child is going to be\Nexposed to one culture or another.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:22.44,0:53:24.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> And correspondingly,\Nit must be that at their core.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:24.98,0:53:29.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The cultural products,\Nincluding language, are very similar,
Dialogue: 0,0:53:29.76,0:53:33.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and, in fact, rooted,\Nultimately, in human biology.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:33.95,0:53:37.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]\N>> From what we've observed in children
Dialogue: 0,0:53:37.66,0:53:40.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,learning different\Nlanguages around the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:40.77,0:53:44.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It seems to us that\Nthe capacity to learn language
Dialogue: 0,0:53:44.41,0:53:47.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is deeply ingrained in us as a species.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:47.35,0:53:51.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just as the capacity to walk,\Nto grasp objects, to recognize faces.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:52.84,0:53:57.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't find any serious differences in\Nchildren growing up in congested urban
Dialogue: 0,0:53:57.65,0:53:58.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,slums.
Dialogue: 0,0:53:58.15,0:54:02.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In isolated mountain villages, or\Nin privileged suburban villas.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:02.39,0:54:03.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:54:03.95,0:54:08.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Children who are abused, and\Nmistreated, and unmotivated,
Dialogue: 0,0:54:08.07,0:54:13.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if they can't hear, language\Nfilters out through their fingers.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:13.36,0:54:18.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Almost no matter what the circumstance is,\Nthe language bubbles up.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:18.19,0:54:20.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:54:20.95,0:54:22.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> It seems inescapable.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:22.59,0:54:25.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Children aren't learning language\Nthe way they learn most other things.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:25.53,0:54:29.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're not taught, they're not corrected,\Nthey don't even think about it,
Dialogue: 0,0:54:29.53,0:54:30.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they just do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:30.35,0:54:32.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> [SOUND]
Dialogue: 0,0:54:32.14,0:54:35.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]
Dialogue: 0,0:54:35.79,0:54:39.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,>> Next time in our series\Non the human language,
Dialogue: 0,0:54:39.41,0:54:43.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if language is biological,\Nhow did it evolve?
Dialogue: 0,0:54:43.13,0:54:49.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Program three, the human language evolves,\Nwith and without words.
Dialogue: 0,0:54:49.17,0:54:59.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[MUSIC]