Cutler, A.
Language is an essential component of all our lives. We may give little conscious thought to how exactly it works, and the roles that each component plays in making communication possible; we can leave that work to linguists. But abstract knowledge about language is actually not the exclusive property of linguistics. Research shows that abstract knowledge about language is a core part of our language use. Even in the earliest stages of learning a language, babies are compiling abstract knowledge about it. Such knowledge is helpful in a wide range of talking and listening situations - we use abstract knowledge, for instance, in the everyday task of adjusting to newly-encountered speakers. On the other hand, abstract knowledge is so easy to use that sometimes it can actually prove unhelpful - this may happen, for example, in learning a second language as adults. Even is such cases, we cannot avoid the use of abstract knowledge, because it is a natural part of the way we all use language.