Noam Chomsky and Generative Grammar

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Questions and Answers

What is the central idea of Noam Chomsky's theory of generative grammar?

Grammar books are essential for determining whether sentences are well-formed.
Language acquisition occurs primarily through imitation and repetition.
Language is a fixed combination of words and utterances.
Human beings can inherently distinguish between well-formed (grammatically correct) and ill-formed (grammatically incorrect) sentences. (correct)

According to Chomsky, how do human beings primarily develop the ability to understand their language system?

Through abstraction, enabling the creation of new sentence patterns. (correct)
Almost exclusively through imitation and repetition of existing sentence patterns.
By memorizing fixed combinations of words and utterances.
Through strict adherence to grammatical rules and structures learned from textbooks.

What does Chomsky’s concept of Universal Grammar propose about all languages?

Each language has a completely unique structure with no underlying similarities.
The grammar of each language is fundamentally arbitrary.
All languages share an underlying universal structure that enables cognitive grasping and language acquisition. (correct)
Languages evolve randomly, without any predictable patterns or structures.

Which ability reflects the core of Chomsky's view on language competence?

The ability to judge whether a sentence is well-formed without consulting grammar books. (D) Signup and view all the answers

According to the information provided, which of the following is NOT one of the stated fields of Linguistics?

Comparative Linguistics. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does Chomsky's concept of abstraction relate to language?

Abstraction allows language users to create new sentence patterns in novel combinations. (D) Signup and view all the answers

For Chomsky, what is a fundamental aspect of human ability regarding language?

The natural capability to distinguish correct from incorrect sentence structures. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In what way does Chomsky view the human capacity to learn languages?

Humans possess the ability to understand and create language through abstraction. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does Universal Grammar explain why it is possible for people to learn languages?

All languages have an underlying structure that makes them naturally cognitively graspable. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to Chomsky, what is the role of 'imitation' in language acquisition?

Imitation plays a vital supporting role but is insufficient without abstraction. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Generative Grammar

A linguistic theory that suggests humans can form and distinguish grammatically correct sentences from incorrect ones.

Language Abstraction

The ability to understand a language system through abstraction, allowing the creation of new sentence patterns, not just rigid combinations of words.

Universal Grammar

The theory that all languages share an underlying universal structure that enables cognitive understanding and language acquisition.

Historical Linguistics

The study of language over time, focusing on how languages change and develop.

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Sociolinguistics

The study of language in relation to social factors such as class, gender, and ethnicity.

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Developmental Linguistics

The study of how language is acquired and develops, particularly in children.

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Neurolinguistics

The study of the neural mechanisms in the brain that control language processing.

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Study Notes

Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, and social justice activist.

Generative Grammar

He advocated well-formed sentences as a central idea in generative grammar.
Generative grammar posits that people can form and distinguish grammatically correct sentences from incorrect ones.
According to Chomsky, the human language system is understood through abstraction, not just imitation or repetition.
Speakers can create new sentence patterns in various combinations because of this ability, rather than being limited to fixed arrangements of words.
Immersion in a language grants sufficient competence to discern well-formed and ill-formed sentences, eliminating the need for grammar books.
The capability to assess a sentence's structure is a natural ability, influenced by the brain's capacity to understand language.
Cognitive ability relating to language relies on the structure of language.
Universal Grammar proposes that all languages possess an underlying universal structure grasped cognitively; the brain can acquire language because language is structured to be acquired.