---
product_id: 121148383
title: "The Infinite Gift: How Children Learn and Unlearn the Languages of the World"
brand: "charles yang"
price: "9870 kr"
currency: ISK
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
category: "Books"
url: https://www.desertcart.is/products/121148383-the-infinite-gift-how-children-learn-and-unlearn-the-languages
store_origin: IS
region: Iceland
---

# The Infinite Gift: How Children Learn and Unlearn the Languages of the World

**Brand:** charles yang
**Price:** 9870 kr
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Infinite Gift: How Children Learn and Unlearn the Languages of the World by charles yang
- **How much does it cost?** 9870 kr with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.is](https://www.desertcart.is/products/121148383-the-infinite-gift-how-children-learn-and-unlearn-the-languages)

## Best For

- charles yang enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted charles yang brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

From Publishers Weekly
        	  
        	  
        		  
        		  
	        		
						
			        		Starred Review. Children may start to speak at a year, but that&apos;s hardly the beginning, as Yale linguist and psychologist Yang shows in this engrossing book. Babies recognize the first elements of language before birth, start to babble at three to four months and can memorize and recognize the sounds of words at six to nine months. Yang uses this fascinating progression to explain one of the core theories of contemporary linguistics: Noam Chomsky&apos;s universal grammar, that human understanding of language is in the genes. Yang takes the theory a step further in arguing that the keys to acquiring language are not in the learning, but in unlearning: &quot;Viewed in the Darwinian light, all humanly possible grammars compete to match the language spoken in a child&apos;s environment.... This theory of language takes both nature and nurture into account: nature proposes, and nurture disposes.&quot; Yang unfolds this complex argument systematically and with appealing animation, using creative examples&#x2014;his son&apos;s first word, neurological experiments, baseball analogies&#x2014;to keep the narrative moving. For readers who will never venture into the field to study language acquisition, he reveals that some of the most exciting linguistic experiments are happening much closer to home. (June) Copyright &#xA9; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
						    	
					    	
						
						Read more
					
	        	
        	
          
              
        	  	  About the Author
        	  
        	  
        		  
        		  
	        		
						
			        		Charles Yang teaches linguistics and psychology at Yale University. Trained as a computer scientist at MIT&apos;s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, he has written extensively on children and language and contributes articles to The London Review of Books, among other literary publications. He lives in Delaware with his wife, a frequent research collaborator, and young son, a frequent research subject.
						    	
					    	
						
						Read more

## Images

![The Infinite Gift: How Children Learn and Unlearn the Languages of the World - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Ms49UyJgL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Language is an infinite gift and Yang explains it infinitely well!
  

*by R***N on Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2013*

I really learned a lot from this book. I think this is the first bookthat I have read, which explains in layman terms all the revolutionarystuff that has been happening in linguistics for the last 50 years.A must read for anyone interested in understanding how languagesfunction inside our brains, and how children acquire their particularnative language.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    A captivating read.
  

*by P***Y on Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2008*

Despite my own lack of linguistic training I did not find this dry.  The writer has an engaging, conversational style, and makes the technical aspects accessible to all.  (If you can make tree-diagrams seem compelling, you have achieved something special.)  A good book for parents curious about language development, and amateur-linguists alike.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great book about language acquisition
  

*by W***N on Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2007*

This is a great book if you want to have an informed view while you watch your (grand)children learn their native language.  It is fascinating to watch children do just what current theory says they will do!This book is mainly for people who are used to thinking about technical and abstract stuff.  I already knew a little about the subject and found the book at just the right level -- the author communicates the basic ideas but does not get bogged down in excessive detail.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.is/products/121148383-the-infinite-gift-how-children-learn-and-unlearn-the-languages](https://www.desertcart.is/products/121148383-the-infinite-gift-how-children-learn-and-unlearn-the-languages)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Iceland*
*Store origin: IS*
*Last updated: 2026-03-04*