The study of language: Considerations regarding Bruner’s and Skinner’s proposals

Abstract

Knowing the importance of language development for the individual’s global development and, that academics such as Jerome Bruner and Burrhus Frederic Skinner brought relevant contributions to the language study, the article’s objective is to contribute for the comprehension of their works regarding language development, presenting possible convergence and divergence points. Bruner’s and Skinner’s classical works about language development are analyzed, as well as some articles that discuss important points of the subject. Divergence points are found in Bruner’s and Skinner’s theories, such as the difference in the terms used by these authors to refer to what is commonly called language, as well as the fact that systematic observation data are used by Bruner in his classical work about language, characteristic not found in Skinner’s classical book about verbal behavior. However, convergence points are noticed in the works of these authors, like the language pragmatist aspect indicated by both, as well as adult’s and culture’s importance for the child to develop language.