Item label | Item wording | |
---|---|---|
Specific Language essentialism | ||
Genetically predisposed | People are genetically predisposed to learn the language(s) that their biological family speaks more easily than to learn other languages | |
Brain | People’s brains are naturally tuned to learn the language(s) that their biological family speaks more easily than to learn other languages | |
Determined at birth | People are born with the ability to more easily learn the language that their biological family speaks than to learn other languages | |
Inheritable | A person inherits the ability to learn the specific language(s) of their biological parents (i.e., the language their biological parents speak) | |
First Language essentialism | ||
Gene | In the future, scientists will be able to determine a person’s ability to learn their first language by examining their genes | |
Brain | There are consistent differences between the brains of people who are better at learning their first languages and the brains of people who are worse at learning their first languages | |
Determined at birth | A person's ability to learn their first language is determined at birth | |
Inheritable | A person inherits their ability to learn their first language from their parents | |
Natural ability | People naturally have different levels of ability to learn their first language | |
Multiple Language essentialism | ||
Gene | In the future, scientists will be able to determine whether a person is good at learning multiple languages by examining their genes | |
Brain | There are consistent differences between the brains of people who easily learn multiple languages and people who struggle to learn multiple languages | |
Determined at birth | A person inherits the ability to learn multiple languages from their parents | |
Inheritable | A person’s ability to learn multiple languages is determined at birth | |
Natural ability | People naturally have different levels of ability in learning multiple languages |