Linguistic Theory I
Linguistic Theory I
This chapter focuses directly on the principles-and-parameters framework that was developed in the early 1980s and generally believed to be a watershed in the short history of the field. It consists of two phases: an earlier phase known as Government-Binding Theory and the current Minimalist Program. The discussion starts with a classic philosophical problem which is the philosopher Bertrand Russell’s Scope Problem to show how contemporary linguistics offers a feasible solution to the problem. Although this is not how Chomsky and other linguists intend to introduce their discipline, the basic scientific program throughout is to solve Plato’s problem in the domain of language. It also discusses principles and parameters, including further explanation of the Government-Binding Theory, how D-Structures are generated, Categorical Selection, the X-Bar Theory, Theta Theory, and S-Structure.
Keywords: Government-Binding Theory, Minimalist Program, Scope Problem, Bertrand Russell, D-Structures, Categorical Selection, X-Bar Theory, Theta Theory
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