Universal grammar

Daniel EverettAmerican linguist who lived among the Pirahã people of the Amazon

• Everett recounts that Chomsky called him a liar and charlatan after Everett said Pirahã contradicted one of his claims.

  “But then when I said, this language shows that you're wrong about this particular claim, Then I became persona non grata and I was a liar and a”

  Danny Jones Podcast: #439 - Bible Expert Rejects Religion After Decoding Ancient Amazon Language | Daniel Everett (Oct 12, 2026) · Listen from 2:15:48

• Everett says his new book argues that the human ability to infer replaces the need for a universal grammar.

  “So, the ability to infer in my new book, this replaces the need for a universal grammar”

  Danny Jones Podcast: #439 - Bible Expert Rejects Religion After Decoding Ancient Amazon Language | Daniel Everett (Oct 12, 2026) · Listen from 45:22

• Everett argues that the existence of a brain language network does not show that language is innate.

  “But I do know that the fact that there's a language network doesn't mean that language itself is innate”

  Danny Jones Podcast: #439 - Bible Expert Rejects Religion After Decoding Ancient Amazon Language | Daniel Everett (Oct 12, 2026) · Listen from 43:37