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Universal Grammar: Idham Hakimi Bin Hamdan Firlland Alvie Ali Mohammad Firdaus Bin Abu Bakar

Universal Grammar refers to the theory that humans possess an innate, universal set of principles for language that underlie all human languages. This innate language faculty allows children to learn any human language with apparent ease. According to the theory, Universal Grammar consists of a set of categories, operations and principles that are shared by all natural languages. Proponents argue that children could not learn language as quickly as they do without some innate linguistic knowledge to guide the process.

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1K views13 pages

Universal Grammar: Idham Hakimi Bin Hamdan Firlland Alvie Ali Mohammad Firdaus Bin Abu Bakar

Universal Grammar refers to the theory that humans possess an innate, universal set of principles for language that underlie all human languages. This innate language faculty allows children to learn any human language with apparent ease. According to the theory, Universal Grammar consists of a set of categories, operations and principles that are shared by all natural languages. Proponents argue that children could not learn language as quickly as they do without some innate linguistic knowledge to guide the process.

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aran92
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Universal Grammar

Idham Hakimi Bin Hamdan Firlland Alvie Ali Mohammad Firdaus Bin Abu Bakar

Definition
Universal Grammar is a theory in linguistics, usually credited to Noam Chomsky, proposing that the ability to learn grammar is hard-wired into the brain. The theory suggests that linguistic ability manifests itself without being taught, and that there are properties that all natural human languages share. The system of categories, operations, and principles shared by all human languages and considered to be innate. A system of grammatical rules and constraints believed to underlie all natural languages.

History
The idea can be traced to Roger Bacon's observation that all languages are built upon a common grammar, substantially the same in all languages, even though it may undergo accidental variations, and the 13th century speculative grammarians who, following Bacon, postulated universal rules underlying all grammars. The concept of a universal grammar or language was at the core of the 17th century projects for philosophical languages. Charles Darwin described language as an instinct in humans, like the upright posture. The idea rose to notability in modern linguistics with theorists such as Noam Chomsky and Richard Montague, developed in the 1950s to 1970s, as part of the "Linguistics Wars".

Introduction
It adopts cognitive approach.
the study of processes by means of which what human beings get to know the world that is humans know how to form and interpret expressions in their native languages. they know but they may not explain how they get this ability.

Competence and Performance


Competence is knowledge of language Performance is the actual use of language in concrete situations
Universal grammar is concerned with competence in that it tells what someone should know to have competence in a language.

UG Theory
Universal grammar is a theory of knowledge. Concerns with the internal structure of human mind. It holds that the speaker knows a set of principles that apply to all languages, and parameters that vary from one language to another.

I-Language and E-Language


Externalized Linguistic System (E-Language)
aims to collect samples of language and then to describe their properties. it brings order to the set of external facts that make up the language. is described in terms of properties of such data through structures or patterns.

Internalised Linguistic System (I-Language)


It is concerned with what a speaker knows about a language and where this langauge knowledge comes from It treats language as an internal property of the human mind rather than something external.

Chomskys Universal Grammar


Language learning is facilitated by a predisposition that our brains have for certain structures of language.(innate knowledge ) There are rules of language that all humans are born with, they are internal, not imitated. Despite superficial differences all human languages share a fundamental structure. This structure is a universal grammar. We have an innate ability to apply this universal grammar to whatever language we are faced with at birth.

Evidence for Universal Grammar


Children follow linguistic constraints, even in new situations. Not possible for children to have heard all possible grammatical sentences (noun inflections, etc.). Must have mastered rules. Parents do not provide enough feedback to account for the rapidity and accuracy of child language acquisition.

Criticisms of Chomskys theories


Opposed to that of Skinner or Piaget, for whom language is constructed solely through simple interaction with the environment. Philip Lieberman-language is a learned skill.

References
http://informatics.indiana.edu/rocha/univgram.h tml http://www.thefreedictionary.com/universal+gra mmar http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/unigramterm .htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_grammar http://www.translationdirectory.com/articles/arti cle1930.php

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