-
Noam Chomsky's Birth
Noam Chomsky was born to Ashkenazi Jewish parents/immigrants . His father was William Chomsky , mother was Elsie Simonofsky. Both parents were teachers , He would only have one brother : David Eli Chomsky (1934-2014) -
Started High school : Central High School
at the age of 12 he began attending high school -
Period: to
University of Pennsylvania
At the age of 16 Noam began his studies at University of Pennsylvania, there he would study under various "famous" academia professors. This is also where he received his bachelors in general studies. He explored special interests of philosophy , logic , and languages , developed a large interest towards Arabic -
Zellig Harris (Linguist) and Noam become friends
Harris introduced Chomsky to theoretical linguistics and convinced him to major in it. -
Marriage to Carol Doris Schatz
Noam was life long friends with Carol Schatz from the time they were 5 years old, she is also a linguist but focuses on children. During their marriage they had 3 children -
Period: to
Invention of Formal Language theory to Chomsky's Hierarchy
It is considered a branch of mathematics , logic , computers, and linguistics. The Chomsky Heirachy was born from this theory , at the time it was an abstract representation of formal and natural languages. He took this first-born theory and made it into his own work. -
Science of Philosophy contribution
He mainly contributed to the philosophy of languages but that also applies to science, due to the simple fact that language is a science. Each language has its own rules , grammar , and alphabet. He is known for his criticisms of references and meaning in human langue and the perspective on the nature and function of representation -
Chomsky's Hierarchy AKA Chomsky–Schützenberger hierarchy[
Noam had theorized that 4 different classes of formal grammars existed that can generate complex languages. Each of these classes can generate the language of all inferior classes. Marcel - Paul Schutzenberger helped develop the theory of formal languages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9idnQ2C6HfA -
University of Pennsylvania PhD (linguistics)
Noam Chomsky received his PhD after submitting his masters thesis , despite him not actually being an active student. He studied under Harris -
Masters Honor thesis: "Morphophonemics of Modern Hebrew"
This paper was on linguistics and generative phonology, which is an analysis of morphophonemics as well as grammar of Modern Hebrew this inlcudes syntax to phonology. His goal was for the thesis is a complete generative grammar of the Hebrew. -
Period: to
Part 1 : List of Noam Chomsky's publications
Morphophonemics of Modern Hebrew." Master's thesis, University of Pennsylvania, 1951.
Logical Structure of Linguistic Theory. MIT Humanities Library. Microfilm. 1955.
Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton, 1957.
Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1965.
Sound Pattern of English. (with Morris Halle) New York: Harper and Row, 1968.
At war with Asia. New York: Pantheon Books, 1970.
or Reasons of State. New York: Pantheon Books, 1973. -
Period: to
Junior Fellow of Harvard University ; Society of Fellows
While at Harvard he completed his doctoral dissertation “Transformational Analysis.”
https://thinkglobalschool.org/guest-speakers/noam-chomsky/
https://www.proquest.com/docview/89172813?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses -
Universal Grammar Theory
Chomsky's belief was that all language structures are understood in human infancy , according to Noam all languages can be taught as an infant. We are born with a natural ability to develop / comprehend languages. This has been debated for 50 years , experimentation does prove this theory and differentiate words from non words even without knowing the language.
https://study.com/learn/lesson/video/universal-grammar-theory-concept-examples.html -
Debate with Philosopher Michael Foucault
In 1971 Chomsky had a debate with Michel Foucault who is a known French philosopher. They debated on human nature. It was known as the analytical and continental philosophy confrontation of traditions. He criticized postmodernism and french philosophy arguing that the obscure language of postmodern, leftist philosophers gives little aid to the working classes -
Period: to
Part 2 : Noam Chomsky's publications
Studies on Semantics in Generative Grammar. The Hague: Mouton, 1972. Reprint. Berlin and New York, 1980.
Rules and Representations. New York: Columbia University Press, 1980. -
Period: to
Part 3 : Noam Chomsky's publications
(With C.J. Polychroniou). Optimism over Despair: On Capitalism, Empire, and Social Change. Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2017.
It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and to expose lies. New York: The New Press, 2017.
Global Discontent: Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy (The American Empire Project) - Noam Chomsky: Interviews with David Barsamian. New York: Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt and Co., 2017.