Linguistics Wars
Encyclopedia
Linguistics Wars is a colloquial term for a protracted academic dispute in American generative linguistics
which took place mostly in the 1960s and 1970s.
It was a falling-out between Noam Chomsky
and some of his early students, who, after studying under Chomsky, created the research program of generative semantics
, which stands largely in opposition to Chomsky's previous work.
"Linguistic Wars" arose from the falling out of Noam Chomsky
's early students who decided to focus on Chomsky's concept of conceptual deep structure
as having a central role in the way the mind assigns meaning to specific language structures. This group of students which included John Robert Ross, developed a school of thought (known as generative semantics) which stood in direct opposition to Chomsky's interpretive semantics school of thought.
Eventually, generative semantics spawned an alternative linguistic paradigm, known as cognitive linguistics, which attempts to correlate the understanding of language together with the biological function of specific neural structures. Whereas generative semanticists function on the premise that the mind has a unique and independent module for language acquisition, cognitive linguists deny this. Instead, they assert that the processing of linguistic phenomena is informed by conceptual deep structures—and more significantly—that the cognitive abilities used to process this data are similar to those used in other non-linguistic tasks. Much of this work is published today under neurolinguistics
.
Drawing upon cognitive linguists, NLP views meaning in terms of mental spaces filled with conceptualizations and subconscious metaphors. Furthermore, there is a mutual interplay of influence between language and cognition within the mind, as well as in the environment of the individual.
It touches on the issues of the dispute involving Chomsky and other significant individuals (Lakoff, Pinker etc.) and also highlighting how certain theories have been evolved with important features influencing modern day linguistics theories.
Generative linguistics
Generative linguistics is a school of thought within linguistics that makes use of the concept of a generative grammar. The term "generative grammar" is used in different ways by different people, and the term "generative linguistics" therefore has a range of different, though overlapping,...
which took place mostly in the 1960s and 1970s.
It was a falling-out between Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
and some of his early students, who, after studying under Chomsky, created the research program of generative semantics
Generative semantics
Generative semantics is the name of a research program within linguistics, initiated by the work of various early students of Noam Chomsky: John R. Ross, Paul Postal and later James McCawley...
, which stands largely in opposition to Chomsky's previous work.
"Linguistic Wars" arose from the falling out of Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
's early students who decided to focus on Chomsky's concept of conceptual deep structure
Deep structure
In linguistics, specifically in the study of syntax in the tradition of generative grammar , the deep structure of a linguistic expression is a theoretical construct that seeks to unify several related structures. For example, the sentences "Pat loves Chris" and "Chris is loved by Pat" mean...
as having a central role in the way the mind assigns meaning to specific language structures. This group of students which included John Robert Ross, developed a school of thought (known as generative semantics) which stood in direct opposition to Chomsky's interpretive semantics school of thought.
Eventually, generative semantics spawned an alternative linguistic paradigm, known as cognitive linguistics, which attempts to correlate the understanding of language together with the biological function of specific neural structures. Whereas generative semanticists function on the premise that the mind has a unique and independent module for language acquisition, cognitive linguists deny this. Instead, they assert that the processing of linguistic phenomena is informed by conceptual deep structures—and more significantly—that the cognitive abilities used to process this data are similar to those used in other non-linguistic tasks. Much of this work is published today under neurolinguistics
Neurolinguistics
Neurolinguistics is the study of the neural mechanisms in the human brain that control the comprehension, production, and acquisition of language. As an interdisciplinary field, neurolinguistics draws methodology and theory from fields such as neuroscience, linguistics, cognitive science,...
.
Drawing upon cognitive linguists, NLP views meaning in terms of mental spaces filled with conceptualizations and subconscious metaphors. Furthermore, there is a mutual interplay of influence between language and cognition within the mind, as well as in the environment of the individual.
Book
The Linguistics Wars is also the title of a 1993 book by Randy Allen Harris on the topic (ISBN 9780195098341)It touches on the issues of the dispute involving Chomsky and other significant individuals (Lakoff, Pinker etc.) and also highlighting how certain theories have been evolved with important features influencing modern day linguistics theories.
See also
- Ray JackendoffRay JackendoffRay Jackendoff is an American linguist. He is professor of philosophy, Seth Merrin Chair in the Humanities and, with Daniel Dennett, Co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University...
- George LakoffGeorge LakoffGeorge P. Lakoff is an American cognitive linguist and professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1972...
- James D. McCawleyJames D. McCawleyJames David McCawley was an American linguist.McCawley was born James Quillan McCawley, Jr. to Dr. Monica Bateman McCawley , a physician and surgeon, and James Quillan McCawley , a businessman...
- Paul PostalPaul PostalPaul Martin Postal is an American linguist and member of the faculty of New York University.Postal received his PhD from Yale University in 1963 and taught at MIT until 1965. That year, he moved to the City University of New York...
- John R. RossJohn R. RossJohn Robert "Haj" Ross is a linguist who played a part in the development of generative semantics along with George Lakoff, James D. McCawley, and Paul Postal...
- Ray C. DoughertyRay C. DoughertyRay C. Dougherty is an American linguist and a member of the Arts and Science faculty at New York University. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from Dartmouth College in the early 1960s and his Ph. D in linguistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1968...