Showing papers on "Universal grammar published in 2022"
TL;DR: This squib argues that the child faces a severe computational complexity problem in parsing even the simplest of trees: the number of possible trees consistent with UG grows exponentially as a function of theNumber of lexical items.
Abstract:
In this squib, I argue that the child faces a severe computational complexity problem in parsing even the simplest of trees: the number of possible trees consistent with UG grows exponentially as a function of the number of lexical items. Economy conditions have the result of drastically decreasing the complexity of the parsing task. I also discuss the relationship between UG, I-language, economy conditions and explanatory adequacy.
1 citations
03 Feb 2022
TL;DR: This article explored the relationship between universal grammar and iconicity and proposed a new theory of their interactions, "UG-iconicity interface" (UG-I), which shows that not only do universal grammars and iconicism coexist, but in fact collaborate in intricate and predictable ways.
Abstract: Within linguistics, the formal and functional approaches each offer insight into what language might be and how it operates, but so far, there have been hardly any systematic attempts to integrate them into a single theory. This book explores the relationship between universal grammar - the theory that we have an innate mechanism for generating sentences - and iconicity - the resemblance between form and meaning in language. It offers a new theory of their interactions, 'UG-iconicity interface' (UG-I), which shows that not only do universal grammar and iconicity coexist, but in fact collaborate in intricate and predictable ways. The theory explains various recalcitrant cross-linguistic facts surrounding the serial verb constructions, coordination, semantically and categorically obscure 'linkers', the multiple grammatical aspects of the external argument, and non-canonical arguments. This groundbreaking work is essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in linguistics, as well as scholars in psychology and cognitive science.
1 citations
TL;DR: In this article , a questionnaire was developed to measure the perception of the English universal present perfect's two defining features: its incompleteness and its continuability, and the questionnaire was completed by Polish learners of English and a group of British native speakers.
Abstract: It is widely considered that Polish does not possess the present perfect, and that it represents a challenge to those teaching Polish learners of English. From a teaching perspective, the question arises of what a Polish learner of English perceives when they read/hear a present perfect sentence. The research presented here attempts to answer that question, but with a focus on the universal present perfect. A questionnaire was developed to measure the perception of the English universal present perfect’s two defining features: its incompleteness and its continuability. The questionnaire was completed by Polish learners of English and a group of British native speakers. The hypotheses were: 1. Incompleteness/continuability would be perceived in the universal present perfect, 2. that lower proficiency learners would perceive incompleteness/continuability at a lower rate and perception would increase with proficiency, and 3. British native speakers would have the highest level of perception. The results show that the incompleteness/continuability of the universal present perfect are perceived. While perception decreases with lower proficiency learners, British native speakers did not have the highest levels of perception. The next step is to develop a pedagogy which focuses on perception-based teaching and carry out an experiment to analyse its efficacy.
TL;DR: This article showed recent developments in L2 learning by Chomsky and further clarified what would be specifically based on in future linguistic studies by assessing the challenges, so that development will be advanced towards language learning and SLA.
Abstract: As many scholars have their own viewpoints and perspectives on Chomsky's universal grammar theory, this article shows recent developments in L2 learning by Chomsky. A significant turning point at the moment is Chomsky's UG approach to language education, particularly its values and parameters. Many researchers argue that with SLA, UG has problems like Fries and Palmer. They say that there are linguistic variations that make it difficult to differentiate between the SLA and the first language acquisition. It is possible to further clarify what would be specifically based on in future linguistic studies by assessing the challenges, so that development will be advanced towards language learning and SLA.
TL;DR: This article provided a brief account of what UG is and critically investigated the hypotheses and arguments for and against UG to give a comprehensive answer to the question: is universal grammar available to L2 learners?
Abstract: Nativist argues that Universal Grammar is the genetic component of the language faculty. This theoretical concept is controversial in many aspects. The lack of strong empirical evidence has rendered some language researchers and teachers troubled about what Universal Grammar is and whether L2 learners have access to UG. Understanding the different aspects of UG would assist teachers in approaching teaching L2 learners in the light of UG theory. The present review paper provides a brief account of what UG is and critically investigates the hypotheses and arguments for and against UG to give a comprehensive answer to the question: is universal grammar available to L2 learners? A myriad of hypotheses have been put forward to answer this question. These range from those that suggest that L2 learners have full access to UG in that learners can reset their parameters to conform to L2 parameters to those that suggest that L2 learners only have partial access to UG. Apart from these accounts, others argue that learners acquire L2 using general domain skills rather than direct access to UG. Still, others assert that L2 learners only have access to UG via L1.
TL;DR: This article examined the role of universal grammar in the second language acquisition and to what extent it plays in the process, and four access hypotheses or theories were given to illustrate this, the four access hypothesis or theories are given.
Abstract: One important issue in current language acquisition research is whether the acquisition of a second language is fundamentally different from that of the first language. Researchers approaching second language acquisition (SLA) from the linguistic perspective often relate this issue to the availability of Universal Grammar to second language acquisition. The main focus of this paper is to examine the role of Universal Grammar in the second language acquisition and to what extent it plays in the process. To illustrate this, the four access hypotheses or theories were given.
Keywords: Universal Grammar, Second Language Acquisition
TL;DR: This article presented the syntactic dimension of ditransitive verbs in terms of the universal theory of role and reference grammar (RRG) and made an attempt to check if the universal tenet of the theory is maintained over two typologically different languages: English and Arabic in respect of the way that double-object constructions (DOCs) are represented in the theory.
Abstract: This paper presents the syntactic dimension of ditransitive verbs in terms of the universal theory of Role and Reference Grammar (RRG). This theory is syntactic in nature, but it also covers the semantic as well as the pragmatic aspects of any linguistic phenomenon. It assumes a universal framework through which syntactic constructions can be analyzed. However, the morphological structure that each language enjoys renders the universal treatment more complicated and can question the universal nature of such a theory. In this paper, an attempt is made to check if the universal tenet of the theory is maintained over two typologically different languages: English and Arabic in respect of the way that double-object constructions (DOCs) are represented in the theory. A limitation is made to answer these questions: does the rich morphological nature of Arabic affect the universality of RRG in so far as Layered Structure of the Clause (LSC) is concerned? and; where and how does the information about tense is represented in both languages? The results show that this theory is indeed universal when it deals with a syntactic phenomenon like DOCs and that a separate projection is dedicated to represent some related information about the clause and this is concluded from the analysis of the selected data.
TL;DR: In this article , a review of the article the myth of language universals: Language diversity and its importance for cognitive science is presented, which is an unprecedented and powerful refutation to the Universal Grammar put forward by the influential leading figure in the field of linguistics-Noam Chomsky.
Abstract: : This paper is based on a review of the article the myth of language universals: Language diversity and its importance for cognitive science. The reason for choosing this article is that it is an unprecedented and powerful refutation to the Universal Grammar (hereinafter referred to as UG) put forward by the influential leading figure in the field of linguistics- Chomsky. Once published, this article caused a sensation and attracted a lot of peer commentaries, with both praise and criticism. This article is no doubt a huge challenge to UG, but UG as one of the most influential linguistic theories, which dominates linguistic field for several decades, is not without merits. Therefore, this target paper will analyse and compare these two theories, and try to gain some insights to promote Second Language Acquisition (hereinafter referred to as SLA) based on the two theories.
TL;DR: The concept of Transformational Generative Grammar (TGG) was introduced by Noam Chomsky as mentioned in this paper , who argued that language is internalized, and not learned, and he introduced the concept of language faculty, its workings, Universal Grammar, principles and parameters, and transformational and generative grammars.
Abstract: Cognition, language faculty, Universal Grammar, Principles and Parameters, Transformational Generative Grammar, Phrase Structure Rules, TransformationsThis review seeks to highlight Chomsky’s major contributions to the field of linguistics. He changed linguists’ conception about the nature of language, from an externalized to internalized approach. This shift also resulted in the language being thought of as a cognitive phenomenon rather than as a set of structures to be analyzed for their correctness or incorrectness. He argued that language is internalized, and not learned. His arguments to prove his stance introduced the concept of language faculty, its workings, Universal Grammar, Principles and Parameters, and Transformational and Generative Grammar. The TGG also significantly overhauled the existent phrase structure rules. These rules were brought to follow binarity principles that dictated that a node cannot have less than or more than two branches. Besides, the concept of Universal Grammar along with its principles and parameters, Chomsky simplified how the language acquisition process can be understood: instead of learning hundreds of rules, the human mind has to install a handful of principles and parameters.
TL;DR: This paper investigated the accessibility of universal grammar to 50 native Chinese university students by investigating their acquisition of the two general grammar principles of WH word shift limit: Adjacency Principle and Empty Category Principle.
Abstract: A foreign language is essential for promoting world exchanges. Chomsky's theory of universal grammar is one of the representative theories to reveal how language learners acquire their mother tongue. However, in recent years, more and more researchers have focused on the accessibility of UG to SLA. This study investigates the accessibility of UG to 50 native Chinese university students by investigating their acquisition of the two general grammar principles of WH word shift limit: Adjacency Principle and Empty Category Principle. Another 5 native English speakers are set up in the control group. Questionnaires and quantitative analysis are used in this study. The author tested the students’ general performance both in the grammatical judgment and in the reading comprehension and their attitudes towards the questions, which violate either the Subjacency Principle or the Empty Category Principle. The author finds that by comparing the accuracy of the two groups, these native students are similarly sensitive to the two universal principles with English people; that is to say, the Universal Grammar is accessible to these Chinese university students’ English acquisition.
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors argue the explanation of SLA in the light of recognized attempts and take a different perspective that leads to a deeper and broader SLA process, and they also argue that the inherent ability, contributing factors and conditions make SLA an evidence based complex system.
Abstract: Skill building hypothesis are always in rivalry with other powerful Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories for instance the comparison of the most powerful hypothesis – Comprehension Hypothesis against its skill-building rivals – Output and Interaction hypothesis. The output of any target language depends on the editing of the output of the acquired language. This research paper also attempts to argue the explanation of SLA in the light of recognized attempts. The article attempts to take a different perspective that leads to a deeper and broader SLA process. The inherent ability, contributing factors and conditions make SLA an evidence based complex system. To prove this prospect, different SLA theories have been reviewed for their SLA treatment as all of them have posed a different perspective on Second Language Acquisition. The learning experiences of the second language learners have been studied in the light of multiple hypothesis such as Acculturation, Behaviorism, Connectionism, Interaction, Universal Grammar, Comprehension, Output hypothesis etc. Throughout, from researching the topic to its finalization the SLA has been considered for its complexity as explained through different theories / hypothesis.
31 Oct 2022
TL;DR: The authors compare the behaviorists' and cognitive linguistics' approach to the problem of language acquisition, and present an overview of how language and, in particular, language acquisition was explained by the structuralists and by Chomsky.
Abstract: Noam Chomsky revolutionized the study of linguistics when his book Syntactic Structures was published in 1957. This book gave birth to the idea of generative grammar, which is a theory about language structure. This grammar made a distinction between deep structure and surface structure, something like what Saussure called langue and parole. Chomsky claimed that language structure is innate or genetically inherited. Consequently, structure is to be found inside the organism and the hypothesis is that we learn language because we are born with a Universal Grammar (hereafter referred as UG) in our head. This study aims to find out if UG is real or just an invention. In order to find the strengths and weaknesses with such a controversial statement, this paper will compare Chomsky’s theories when it comes to language acquisition to the behaviorists’ and the modern cognitive linguistics’ approach to the problem. But before the comparison this paper will explain in detail about the shift of focus in the approach to problems of language. Then, it will present an overview of how language and, in particular, language acquisition was explained by the structuralists and by Chomsky.