Re: sensitive period in language acquisition?

From: Gerry Reinhart-Waller
Message: 903
Date: 2000-01-14

--snip--
Brett writes:
Remember, I was talking to Jerry specifically about
LEARNING abilities related to speech. I know I used instincts as a
counter-illustration but that was a simplificiation because she was
looking for an ingrained (hard-wired) "template". It would be a mistake
to take what was said about this narrow aspect of brain function
(Learning languages /speech) and apply it to brain functions and
behavior as a whole. It's a lot more complicated than that.

Gerry here: I can't imagine what I might have said to lead you to think
I was looking for a "hard-wired" template. Actually I don't even know
what is meant by "hard-wired". What question I posited was whether this
"template" was in the infants head at birth, pre-birth, or post birth.
And I'm still curious. Any ideas?
gerry
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Gerald Reinhart
Independent Scholar
(650) 321-7378
waluk@...
http://www.alekseevmanuscript.com