Accession Number:

ADA002743

Title:

Learning-Theoretic Foundations of Linguistic Universals

Descriptive Note:

Semi-annual technical rept. 1 Oct 1973-31 Mar 1974

Corporate Author:

CALIFORNIA UNIV IRVINE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Personal Author(s):

• Wexler, Kenneth
• Culicover, Peter
• Hamburger, Henry

Report Date:

1974-11-01

Pagination or Media Count:

66.0

Abstract:

Some aspects of a theory of grammar are presented which derive from a formal theory of language acquisition. One aspect of the theory is a universal constraint on analyzability known as the Freezing Principle, which supplants a variety of constraints proposed in the literature. A second aspect of the theory is the Invariance Principle, a constraint on the relationship between semantic and syntactic structure that makes verifiable predictions of syntactic universals. The relationship between the notion of explanatory adequacy of a theory of grammar and the learnability of a class of transformational grammars is discussed.

Descriptors:

• *LEARNING
• *NATURAL LANGUAGE
• COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS
• MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS
• MATHEMATICAL MODELS
• SEMANTICS
• SYNTAX
• TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMARS

Subject Categories:

• Psychology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE