Somewhere Between Chomsky and Tomasello: The Genetic Component of Human Language
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/lev112026167603Keywords:
language heritability, twin studies, specific language impairment, genetics, universal grammar, usage-based theory, polygenicAbstract
By integrating evidence from twin studies, research into Specific Language Impairment (SLI), and findings from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) this article seeks to examine the genetic contribution to human language. Twin studies have consistently demonstratedsubstantial heritability across linguistic domains such as vocabulary, phonology and morphosyntax, all partly independent of nonverbal intelligence. Research into SLI and candidate genes – in this paper FOXP2, SETBP1 and CNTNAP2 – further reveal that language impairment caused by specific genetic mutations also affect broader cognitive and motor functions, showcasing that single genes are implicated in multiple areas of bodily function. Further, GWAS findings support polygenic structure in which multiple loci across the genome contribute to human language capability. These results challenge Michael Tomasello’s Usage-Based theory of language acquisition and Noam Chomsky’s Universal Grammer to some degree, instead supporting a model in which language is made possible by a massive network of interacting genetic factors.
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