The Minimalist Program

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The Minimalist Program is a major theoretical framework in generative linguistics, developed by Noam Chomsky, that seeks to explain the properties of human language through the simplest and most economical principles and mechanisms.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
The Minimalist Program (1995 book) 2

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf approach in generative grammar
linguistic theory
theoretical framework
aim to derive language design from general cognitive economy principles
to explain properties of human language using simplest principles
to reduce grammatical mechanisms to an optimal minimum
assumes Universal Grammar
derivations proceed cyclically
language faculty in the human mind
authorOfKeyText Noam Chomsky
contrastsWith construction grammar
usage-based approaches to grammar
coreConcept Agree operation
Bare Phrase Structure
Merge operation
Move operation
economy of derivation
economy of representation
feature checking
interface conditions
movement driven by feature checking
phases
probe-goal relation
criticizedFor abstractness of its primitives
difficulty of empirical falsification
lack of explicit learnability theory
developer Noam Chomsky
field generative linguistics
syntax
theoretical linguistics
goal to minimize language-specific stipulations
to show language is an optimal solution to interface conditions
hasWork Derivation by Phase
Minimalist Program
surface form: Minimalist Inquiries: The Framework

The Minimalist Program self-linksurface differs
surface form: The Minimalist Program (1995 book)
inception early 1990s
influenced cartographic approaches to syntax
contemporary syntactic theory
phase theory
influencedBy Government and Binding Theory
surface form: Government and Binding theory

Principles and Parameters Theory
surface form: Principles and Parameters framework
languageView language as optimal solution to interface conditions with sound and meaning
partOf Chomskyan generative grammar tradition
precededBy Government and Binding Theory
surface form: Government and Binding theory
publicationYearOfKeyText 1995
publisherOfKeyText MIT Press
relatedTo Minimalist morphology
Minimalist semantics
Minimalist Program
surface form: Minimalist syntax

Referenced by (3)

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

The Minimalist Program hasWork The Minimalist Program self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: The Minimalist Program (1995 book)
Minimalist Program keyWork The Minimalist Program
this entity surface form: The Minimalist Program (1995 book)
Lectures on Government and Binding relatedWork The Minimalist Program