Editing Universal Grammar (section)

=== Origins of the Theory ===
The concept of Universal Grammar was developed by Noam Chomsky in the 1950s as part of his groundbreaking work in theoretical linguistics. Chomsky argued that the vast complexity of language acquisition could not be explained solely by exposure to language (i.e., environmental factors) and that there must be some inherent biological mechanism that enables humans to learn and use language. This idea was revolutionary at the time and challenged behaviorist theories that emphasized the role of external stimuli in language learning.

* '''Chomsky's Argument''': Chomsky proposed that all human beings are born with an innate "language faculty" that provides the framework for learning any language. He suggested that this faculty includes a set of grammatical principles that are universal across all languages. These principles, which he called Universal Grammar, are what allow children to rapidly and efficiently acquire their native language(s) despite limited exposure and often incomplete or imperfect input.