Da behaviorist psychogolist b.f. skinna was da first theorist to propose a fully fledged theory of lingo acquisition in is book, verbal behavia, a'ight? Is theory of learnin was closely related to is theory of linguistic behavia itself, innit? He argued dat uman linguistic behavia (that is, our own utterances and our responses to da utterances of udders) is determined by two factors: (i) da current features of da environment impinging on da speaka, and (ii) da speaker's istory of reinforcement (i.e., da givin or withholdin of rewards and/or punishments in response to previous linguistic behaviors). eschewin natta of da mental as unscientific, skinna argued dat ‘knowin’ a lingo is for real just a matta of avin a certain set of behavioral dispositions: dispositions to say (and do) appropriate fings in response to da world and da utterances of udders. thus, knowin english is, in small part, a matta of bein disposed to utta “please close da doa!” whun one is cold as a result of a draught from an opun doa, and of bein disposed (otha fings bein equal) to utta “ok” and go shut a doa in response to someone else's utterance of dat formula.

And now people fink is theory is pants.