Chomskyan linguistics

E14984

Chomskyan linguistics is a theoretical approach to language pioneered by Noam Chomsky that emphasizes humans’ innate linguistic capacity and focuses on the formal, generative rules underlying all natural languages.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Chomskyan generative grammar 1

Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf approach to language
linguistic theory
theoretical framework in linguistics
aimsToExplain how children acquire language rapidly
the set of possible human languages
associatedWith Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Universal Grammar
formal semantics (later developments)
Principles and Parameters Theory
surface form: language acquisition device

modularity of mind
poverty of the stimulus argument
transformational-generative grammar
basedOn formal syntax
generative grammar
rationalist philosophy of mind
contrastsWith Bloomfieldian structuralism
behaviorist approaches to language
functionalist linguistics
usage-based approaches to language
developedBy Noam Chomsky
distinguishes competence and performance
emphasizes competence over performance
universal aspects of language
field linguistics
focusesOn formal properties of natural language
generative rules of grammar
human innate linguistic capacity
influenced cognitive science
formal language theory in computer science
generative syntax
language acquisition research
modern psycholinguistics
philosophy of language
influencedBy Cartesian rationalism
logical positivism
surface form: logical positivism (partly in reaction)

mathematical logic
structural linguistics
keyConcept hierarchical phrase structure
recursion in language
keyWork Aspects of the Theory of Syntax
Syntactic Structures
methodology formal modeling of grammaticality judgments
idealization to an ideal speaker-hearer
namedAfter Noam Chomsky
originatedIn mid-20th century
posits I-language as internal language
Universal Grammar as species-specific
deep structure and surface structure (in early models)
innate constraints on possible human grammars
principles and parameters (in later models)
transformational rules (in early models)

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Cartesian Linguistics associatedWith Chomskyan linguistics
Universal Grammar associatedWith Chomskyan linguistics
binding developedWithin Chomskyan linguistics
subject surface form: binding (linguistics)
this entity surface form: Chomskyan generative grammar