The Philosophy of Generative Linguistics

The Philosophy of Generative Linguistics
Author: Peter Ludlow
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2011-02-17
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0199258538

Peter Ludlow presents the first book on the philosophy of generative linguistics. He explains the motivation of the generative framework, describes its mechanisms, and addresses issues of broad philosophical interest, for instance the ontology of linguistics, the nature of data, language/world relations, and best theory criteria.

The Philosophy of Generative Linguistics

The Philosophy of Generative Linguistics
Author: Peter Ludlow
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 246
Release: 2013-02-07
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0191662690

Peter Ludlow presents the first book on the philosophy of generative linguistics, including both Chomsky's government and binding theory and his minimalist program. Ludlow explains the motivation of the generative framework, describes its basic mechanisms, and then addresses some of the many interesting philosophical questions and puzzles that arise once we adopt the general theoretical approach. He focuses on what he takes to be the most basic philosophical issues about the ontology of linguistics, about the nature of data, about language/world relations, and about best theory criteria. These are of broad philosophical interest, from epistemology to ethics: Ludlow hopes to bring the philosophy of linguistics to a wider philosophical audience and show that we have many shared philosophical questions. Similarly, he aims to set out the philosophical issues in such a way as to engage readers from linguistics, and to encourage interaction between the two disciplines on foundational issues.

Key Ideas in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language

Key Ideas in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language
Author: Siobhan Chapman
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2009-01-19
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0748631429

This book offers introductory entries on 80 ideas that have shaped the study of language up to the present day. Entries are written by experts in the fields of linguistics and the philosophy of language to reflect the full range of approaches and modes of thought. Each entry includes a brief description of the idea, an account of its development, and its impact on the field of language study. The book is written in an accessible style with clear descriptions of technical terms, guides to further reading, and extensive cross-referencing between entries. A useful additional feature of this book is that it is cross-referenced throughout with Key Thinkers in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language (Edinburgh, 2005), revealing significant connections and continuities in the two related disciplines. Ideas covered range from Sense Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Logic, through Generative Semantics, Cognitivism, and Conversation Analysis, to Political Correctness, Deconstruction, and Corpora.

Generative Linguistics

Generative Linguistics
Author: Frederick J. Newmeyer
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2002-09-11
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1134820518

Written by one of America's most prominent linguists, the essays in Generative Linguistics provide a challenging reappraisal of the 'Chomskian Revolution' - the implications of which are still being debated some three decades on. Here together for the first time are all of Frederick J. Newmeyer's writings on the origins and development of generative grammar. Spanning a period of fifteen years the essays address the nature of the 'Chomskian Revolution', the deep structure debates of the 1970s, and the attempts to apply generative theory to second language acquisition.

Linguistics and the Formal Sciences

Linguistics and the Formal Sciences
Author: Marcus Tomalin
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 247
Release: 2006-02-16
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1139450816

The formal sciences, particularly mathematics, have had a profound influence on the development of linguistics. This insightful overview looks at techniques that were introduced in the fields of mathematics, logic and philosophy during the twentieth century, and explores their effect on the work of various linguists. In particular, it discusses the 'foundations crisis' that destabilised mathematics at the start of the twentieth century, the numerous related movements which sought to respond to this crisis, and how they influenced the development of syntactic theory in the 1950s. The book concludes by discussing the resulting major consequences for syntactic theory, and provides a detailed reassessment of Chomsky's early work at the advent of Generative Grammar. Informative and revealing, this book will be invaluable to all those working in formal linguistics, in particular those interested in its history and development.

A Companion to Chomsky

A Companion to Chomsky
Author: Nicholas Allott
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 644
Release: 2021-04-30
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1119598680

A COMPANION TO CHOMSKY Widely considered to be one of the most important public intellectuals of our time, Noam Chomsky has revolutionized modern linguistics. His thought has had a profound impact upon the philosophy of language, mind, and science, as well as the interdisciplinary field of cognitive science which his work helped to establish. Now, in this new Companion dedicated to his substantial body of work and the range of its influence, an international assembly of prominent linguists, philosophers, and cognitive scientists reflect upon the interdisciplinary reach of Chomsky's intellectual contributions. Balancing theoretical rigor with accessibility to the non-specialist, the Companion is organized into eight sections—including the historical development of Chomsky's theories and the current state of the art, comparison with rival usage-based approaches, and the relation of his generative approach to work on linguistic processing, acquisition, semantics, pragmatics, and philosophy of language. Later chapters address Chomsky's rationalist critique of behaviorism and related empiricist approaches to psychology, as well as his insistence upon a "Galilean" methodology in cognitive science. Following a brief discussion of the relation of his work in linguistics to his work on political issues, the book concludes with an essay written by Chomsky himself, reflecting on the history and character of his work in his own words. A significant contribution to the study of Chomsky's thought, A Companion to Chomsky is an indispensable resource for philosophers, linguists, psychologists, advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and general readers with interest in Noam Chomsky's intellectual legacy as one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century.

Representation of Language

Representation of Language
Author: Georges Rey
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2020-09-30
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0192597744

This book is a defense of a Chomskyan conception of language against philosophical objectionsthat have been raised against it. It also provides, however, a critical examination of some of the glosses on the theory: the assimilation of it to traditional Rationalism; a supposed conflict between being innate and learned; an unclear ontology and the need of a "representational pretense" with regard to it; and, most crucially, a rejection of Chomsky's eliminativism about the role of intentionality not only in his own theories, but in any serious science at all. This last is a fundamentally important issue for linguistics, psychology, and philosophy that an examination of a theory as rich and promising as a Chomskyan linguistics should help illuminate. The book ends with a discussion of some further issues that Chomsky misleadingly associates with his theory: an anti-realism about ordinary thought and talk, and a dismissal of the mind/body problem(s), towards the solution of some of which his theory in fact makes an important contribution.

Generative Grammar and Linguistic Competence (RLE Linguistics B: Grammar)

Generative Grammar and Linguistic Competence (RLE Linguistics B: Grammar)
Author: P.H. Matthews
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 113
Release: 2014-02-03
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1317933621

According to Chomsky, to learn a language is to develop a grammar for it – a generative grammar which assigns a definite structure and a definite meaning to each of a definite set of sentences. This forms the speaker’s linguistic competence, which represents a distinct faculty of the mind, called the faculty of language. This view has been widely criticised, from many separate angles and by many different authors, including some of Chomsky’s pupils. As one of the earliest and most persistent critics, Professor Matthews is especially well placed to tie these arguments together. He concludes that Chomsky’s notion of competence finds no support within linguistics. It can be defended, if at all, only by assuming a traditional philosophy of mind. The notion of grammar should therefore be restricted to descriptive linguistics, and should not have psychological interpretations foisted on it. Peter Matthews’ book covers a variety of topics, from morphology to speech acts, from word meaning to the study of language variation, and from blending in syntax to the relation of language and culture. This wide range of subject matter is incisively handled in a style which is both elegant and economical.