We could innately have built-in statistical models, then everyone can be happy. Given how well statistics seems to work for language acquisition the brain is probably approximating a statistical formula at some level.
The idea that there is some level of statistical inference involved in language acquisition is not contrary to generative thought, look at Charles Yang's work or Lidz or a fair number of other people. Chomsky just thinks this is uninteresting so he is dismissive of it as a central explanation for language acquisition.
I agree that language is innate.
Yes but it can be both innate and built on statistical models, contrary to Chomksy.
We could innately have built-in statistical models, then everyone can be happy. Given how well statistics seems to work for language acquisition the brain is probably approximating a statistical formula at some level.
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The idea that there is some level of statistical inference involved in language acquisition is not contrary to generative thought, look at Charles Yang's work or Lidz or a fair number of other people. Chomsky just thinks this is uninteresting so he is dismissive of it as a central explanation for language acquisition.
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