The study of languages is known as psycholinguistics. These are studies in terms of verbal and non-verbal communication.
             There are two main theories of language, the Learning Theory, which branches out into Skinner's reinforcement theory and Bandura's imitation theory, and the Biological theory which branches out into Chomsky's innate LAD and Lennenberg's 'Critical Periods'. These are theories based on 'nature' or 'nurture', i.e. whether language is learnt through reinforcement and imitation, or whether we are predisposed to acquire language.
             Skinner's Learning theory is an example of language being a result of learning. He argues that the use or reinforcement in operant conditioning and association building in classical conditioning are important in moulding a young child's verbal behaviour, i.e. babies cous being moulded by adults into words.
             In Skinner's theory he suggests 3 ways in which speech is reinforced. These are through tact (operant conditioning), mand (classical conditioning) and through Echoic response (imitation). Thus reinforcement plays on important part in language acquisition.
             Research into the importance of parental intervention in language acquisition (Motherese) has found several key features. Adults talk differently to children, i.e. paraphrasing and using repetition. They also alter the tone and pitch of voice and use utterances. Emphasism on key words and adjusting the length of sentences to make the child understand. This is not direct teaching.
             Research into recasting has found that children whose sentences are recast, i.e. 'doggy eat' > 'doggy is eating' helped them to produce more complex grammatical speech and a growth in questions such as who, what where and why?, and motherese is adapted to the child's developmental level.
             It has been found that with children, trying to correct grammatical mistak
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