From UG to the Biolinguistic Program

Introduction In a thought-provoking interview with C.J. Polychroniou on September 24, 2016, Noam Chomsky delves into the biolinguistic perspective, offering insights into the nature of human language. Among the many topics discussed, Chomsky critiques the Representationalist Doctrine—the idea that words and concepts in language directly correspond to objects and events in the external world in a straightforward, mirror-like fashion. Chomsky argues that while this doctrine might adequately explain certain forms of animal communication, it falls short in capturing the complexity and uniqueness of human language. This article explores Chomsky's critique, focusing on how human language operates in ways that fundamentally differ from animal communication systems. The Representationalist Doctrine This Theory suggests that words and concepts in language directly correspond to objects and events in the external world. This framework is effective in understanding animal communicat...

Introduction The evolution of linguistic theory from traditional grammar to modern approaches, particularly those pioneered by Noam Chomsky, represents a significant shift in how language is understood and analyzed. Traditional grammar, deeply rooted in the literary and cultural traditions of ancient Greece and Rome, was initially developed to preserve and interpret classical texts. However, this framework was later applied—often uncritically—to a wide array of languages, many of which possess structural characteristics vastly different from Greek and Latin. Chomsky’s work in modern linguistics seeks to address this Eurocentric bias by developing a 'general' theory of grammar that can be universally applied to all human languages. This article draws significantly from John Lyons' book Noam Chomsky , which provides a comprehensive account of Chomsky's linguistic theories. Lyons notes that Chomsky himself read and commented on the manuscript, offering corrections th...