How big is minimal?

Abstract

Within both emergentist and nativist approaches to the study of second language acquisition, a primary aim of research is to minimize the hypothesized innate capacities that are necessary to explain acquisition. In relation to this criterion, this article examines two sets of constructs in each theoretical approach: constructs used to characterize the nature of language and to characterize the nature of language learning. The article concludes that the emergentist approach does minimize innate constructs, but is currently too limited to explain the range of facts that have been considered by UG researchers. Conversely, Minimalist constructs are extensive, abstract, powerful, and not minimal. A viable solution might be found in the frontier between these two approaches.