What does the natural order hypothesis suggest about language acquisition?

The natural order hypothesis posits that language acquisition occurs in a predictable sequence of stages, meaning that learners will typically master certain grammatical structures before others. This implies that there are inherent patterns in the process of acquiring a new language, grounded in cognitive development and the linguistic features of the target language. The hypothesis highlights that while individual differences exist in the rate at which learners progress through these stages, the overall order in which specific grammatical rules or structures are acquired remains consistent among learners. This concept aligns with observations made in second language acquisition research, indicating that learners often follow similar paths, regardless of their first language background.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately capture the essence of the natural order hypothesis. For instance, the idea of randomness in language learning contradicts the established patterns that the hypothesis emphasizes. While cultural factors can influence language learning, this aspect falls outside the scope of the hypothesis itself, which focuses primarily on the sequence of grammatical structure acquisition. Similarly, the claim that all languages are acquired in the same order overlooks the nuances and variations that exist among different languages, as the hypothesis is more about general trends rather than absolute uniformity across all languages.