What does Chomsky's theory suggest regarding the amount of correctly formed language children are exposed to?

Chomsky's theory suggests that children are often exposed to a limited amount of correctly formed language compared to what they ultimately acquire. This perspective aligns with his ideas regarding the "poverty of the stimulus," which posits that the linguistic input children receive is insufficient to account for the rich and complex language they later develop. According to Chomsky, despite the imperfections and limitations in the language around them, children possess an innate capacity for language learning, which involves an internalized set of grammatical rules and principles. This innate ability helps them construct a comprehensive understanding of language without needing continuous exposure to perfectly formed sentences.

This understanding highlights that while children hear language, the quantity and quality of that input are not as rich as the knowledge they attain, supporting the notion that language acquisition is not solely dependent on the amount of exposure to correct language forms.