What is the Universal Grammar Theory?

The Universal Grammar Theory proposes that we are all born with the innate ability to learn languages. More specifically, this theory states that the capacity to learn grammar is hard-wired in our brains. This linguistic capability is clear even before formal education. The theory also argues that all natural human languages share a number of characteristics.

The linguist Noam Chomsky argues that infants possess an innnate knowledge of grammar structures and that this ability is shared by all of us. See the book Chomsky's Universal Grammar: An Introduction by Vivian Cook and Mark Newson for more information on Chomsky's theory.

This theory is particularly useful when tackling the subject of Child Language Acquisition, particularly when considering the impact of 'nature' and 'nurture' on human language learning ability.