From UG to the Biolinguistic Program

Introduction The study of language as a structured system has undergone significant evolution, shaped by the contributions of influential figures like Noam Chomsky and Ferdinand de Saussure. Chomsky, drawing from the computational theories pioneered by Alan Turing and others, conceptualizes language as a computational system where atomic elements—basic, indivisible units—are combined according to defined rules to produce an infinite array of meaningful expressions. This approach underscores the importance of these atomic elements as foundational to the cognitive processes that drive human language. In contrast, Saussure, whose work predates the development of computational theory, viewed language as a system of interrelated signs, where the meaning of each sign is shaped by its relationships with other signs within the linguistic system. Despite lacking the computational tools available to Chomsky, Saussure's insights share conceptual similarities with computational theory but...