Substrattheorie

Substrattheorie, also known as substratum theory, is a concept in linguistics that posits the existence of a universal, innate language faculty in the human mind. This faculty is believed to be a substratum, or foundation, upon which all human languages are built. The theory suggests that while there are universal grammatical principles that underlie all languages, there is also a set of specific linguistic features that are unique to each language.

The substrattheorie was first proposed by the linguist Noam Chomsky in the 1960s. Chomsky argued that the human mind is equipped with a universal grammar, which provides the basic structure and rules for language. However, he also recognized that languages vary in their specific features, such as word order and vocabulary. These variations are thought to be the result of the interaction between the universal grammar and the specific experiences of language learners.

One of the key implications of the substrattheorie is that language acquisition is not purely a matter of learning the specific rules and vocabulary of a language. Instead, it involves the activation of the universal grammar and the integration of specific linguistic features. This has led to the development of theories of language acquisition, such as the theory of parameter setting, which proposes that children set specific parameters of the universal grammar based on their linguistic environment.

The substrattheorie has been influential in the field of linguistics, providing a framework for understanding the relationship between universal and specific features of language. However, it has also been the subject of debate and criticism. Some linguists argue that the concept of a universal grammar is too abstract and that the specific features of languages are too varied to be accounted for by a single set of principles. Others argue that the theory does not adequately explain the diversity of languages and the ways in which they evolve over time. Despite these criticisms, the substrattheorie remains a central concept in the study of language and its acquisition.