Instinct

Instinct
 

The OALD:

instinct: a natural tendency for people and animals to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities that they were born with rather than thought or training

intuition: the ability to know something by using your feelings rather than considering the facts

I can't see any difference between the two. Are they both correct in this blank?:


-Native speakers of Danish can use __ to decide whether inflection is needed for a verb, but non-natives cannot.

Intuition has more to do with a feeling or sense that comes from some probably unproven facts. Instinct is innate. Instinct is how ducks know how to best raise their ducklings. Language is a human instinct, but the Dane's knowledge about inflection is more intuitive. With a intimate knowledge of their language, they assume the natural inflection with intuition.

Excellent answer. Thank you.