If a language theory emphasizes universal language features across cultures, it aligns with which view?

• A. Transformationalist
• B. Interactionist
• C. Structuralist
• D. Pragmatics

Answer: (A)

Language universals point to an innate, shared mental grammar that underlies all human languages. This aligns with the Transformationalist view, which argues that languages are governed by a universal set of rules—Universal Grammar—and that surface forms are generated by applying transformations to deeper structures. In this view, similarities across languages come from intrinsic cognitive constraints rather than culture alone or mere social interaction, and children are thought to be born with a predisposition to acquire language due to these universal principles. The other perspectives emphasize different aspects: Interactions and social input influence how language is learned and used; Pragmatics focuses on meaning in context; Structuralist analysis looks at the system of elements and their relationships within a language, without asserting universal cognitive endowments across all cultures.