Noam Chomsky, known for his theories on language acquisition and the innate aspects of language development, would likely support the following statement:
2. Brain structure and function determines the pace and process of language development.
Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar suggests that the ability to acquire language is hardwired into the brain, which implies that biological factors (brain structure and function) play a crucial role in language development.
The other statements may not align with Chomsky's views as closely:
- Statement 1 about children achieving milestones at different ages may be seen as consistent with his views as long as the underlying ability is innate, but it's more about the variability than the innate structure itself.
- Statement 3 could be seen as insufficiently accounting for innate factors.
- Statement 4 contradicts the idea that language acquisition during childhood has unique advantages due to brain plasticity.
Thus, statement 2 is the most aligned with Chomsky's perspective.