Language Puzzles: What They Tell Us About Biology, Experience, and Explanation

The biological capacity for language appears to be shaped by both genetics and childhood experience. Scientists have sought to tease these two aspects apart, yielding good explanations that can be made accessible to students. This talk explores some of the puzzles and explanations at the core of language science. For example, why can him not refer to John in John likes him but his can in John hurt his nose? Such puzzles and their explanations form the foundation for teaching science through language.