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What linguist argued that all languages have a common structural basis or universal grammar?

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Final answer:

Noam Chomsky argued that all languages have a common structural basis known as universal grammar, proposing that humans have an innate capacity for language acquisition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The linguist who argued that all languages have a common structural basis or universal grammar is Noam Chomsky. Chomsky proposed that humans are born with an innate capacity to learn language, which he called the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). His theory suggests that certain structural rules of language are pre-wired into the human brain, enabling children to acquire language rapidly as they grow. This concept of universal grammar forms part of Chomsky’s critique of the behaviorist view of language learning represented by B. F. Skinner, which posited language learning as a product of reinforcement and feedback.

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