The Clash of Giants Over Terminological Differences

Abstract

Responding to the continuing conflict between behavioristic and rationalist/cognitive approaches to language and language development, some relationships between those two paradigms are explored. First, it is shown, by comparing terms employed in the opposing systems and by specifying their common underlying conceptual scope, that many of the assumed contrasts are more terminological than substantial. Having demonstrated underlying conceptual similarities, complementarities in strengths and emphases of both approaches are noted. Next, an integrative paradigm is suggested that explains language development from the perspective of skill learning. This perspective subsumes the basic concepts of both antagonistic approaches and incorporates their complementary strengths to fully explain the complex processes involved in the acquisition of language skills. The social implications of the two opposing theories and of the integrative approach are briefly discussed. It is concluded that an integration of the conceptual and empirical potentials of the two antagonistic conceptualizations of language development is needed and possible, once the emphasis on contrasts, which is exaggerated through contrasting labels, is overcome.