Research proposal
Presented to the Seminar in Research Methods
The purpose of this experiment is to test the hypothesis that adults can learn languages as easy as children when the method of instruction simulates conditions found in early childhood.
Transcripts of early speech show a reliable trend. Language development occurs in stages that correspond to increasing degrees of derivational complexity. This means fewer and simpler transformational rules appear in children’s speech before larger sets of more complex rules begin to emerge. In addition, children learn their first language without formal training. It occurs spontaneously. There is no evidence of selective pressure for the development of well-formed sentences. It is an innate process that requires only participation in a verbal community.
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