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Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky was born on December 7, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his BA, MA, and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Chomsky is currently living in Tucson, Arizona at the age of 94. -
Universal Grammar
A major part of Chomsky's theory is his belief in universal grammar. This is the idea that all languages are based off of the same structure and set of rules. This makes it easier for young children to learn multiple languages outside of their environment. Check out this short video for a fun explanation on thought and language!
https://youtu.be/7Cgpfw4z8cw -
Chomsky Theory
Chomsky published his book, "Syntactic Structures," in 1957. In this book, the Chomsky theory is mentioned for the first time. The theory shows that Chomsky believes children are born with a natural understanding of how language works. This is possible by using the recursive property of language. With that, children are able to recognize structures and expand their sentences by repeating the already known structures. -
Contribution to the Philosophy of Science
Noam Chomsky's theory is very important to science even to this day. His theory explains why it is much easier for children to learn a new language than it is for adults. It also leans more towards the idea that young children should learn two languages instead of one. Chomsky is still known as the father of modern linguistics. -
His Major Works
Chomsky, Noam. The Minimalist Program. 1995.
Chomsky, Noam. New Horizons in the Study of Language and Mind. 2000.
Chomsky, Noam. Requiem for the American Dream. 2017.
Chomsky, Noam. Lectures on Government and Binding. 1993.
Chomsky, Noam. Cartesian Linguistics: A Chapter in the History of Rationalist Thought. 1966.
Chomsky, Noam. On Palenstine. 2015.