The linguist Noam Chomsky developed the innatist theory in reaction to the behaviourist theory of learning based on imitation and habit formation. He claims that children are biologically programmed for language and that language develops in the child in just the same way that other biological functions do. For Chomsky, language acquisition is very similar to the development of walking. The environment makes a basic contribution (such as people speaking to the child) and the child’s biological endowment will do the rest.