* Nativism: This theory, championed by Noam Chomsky, suggests that humans are born with a specific language acquisition device (LAD) that predisposes them to learn language. The LAD is believed to contain universal grammar, a set of innate rules common to all languages.
* Empiricism: This theory argues that language learning is primarily driven by experience and environmental input. Infants learn through observation, imitation, and reinforcement.
The hybrid theory bridges the gap between these two perspectives. It acknowledges the importance of both innate abilities and environmental factors in language acquisition.
Here's how the hybrid theory explains language learning:
* Innate abilities: Infants are born with a predisposition to learn language, including the ability to perceive and process speech sounds, recognize patterns, and understand the basic structure of language.
* Environmental input: Infants learn through interaction with their environment, including listening to language spoken around them, observing others using language, and receiving feedback on their own attempts at communication.
In essence, the hybrid theory suggests that infants possess the biological foundation for language learning, but they need environmental input and experience to fully develop their language abilities.