Rhyme and reason : an introduction to minimalist syntax / Juan Uriagereka ; foreword by Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Uriagereka, Juan.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Minimalist theory (Linguistics).

Language and languages--Philosophy.

Language and languages.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xlii, 669 pages) : illustrations

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, ©1998.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This unusual book takes the form of a dialogue between a linguist and another scientist. This unusual book takes the form of a dialogue between a linguist and another scientist. The dialogue takes place over six days, with each day devoted to a particular topic--and the ensuing digressions. The role of the linguist is to present the fundamentals of the minimalist program of contemporary generative grammar. Although the linguist serves essentially as a voice for Noam Chomsky's ideas, he is not intended to be a portrait of Chomsky himself. The other scientist functions as a kind of devil's advocate, making the arguments that linguists tend to face from those in the "harder" sciences. The author does far more than simply present the minimalist program. He conducts a running argument over the status of theoretical linguistics as a natural science. He raises the general issues of how we conceive words, phrases, and transformations, and what these processes tell us about the human mind. He also attempts to reconcile generative grammar with the punctuated equilibrium version of evolutionary theory. In his foreword, Massimo Piatelli-Palmarini says, "The vast number of readers who have been enthralled by Goedel, Escher, Bach may well like also this syntactic companion, a sort of 'Chomsky, Fibonacci, Bach.'".

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.

ISBN:

0-262-28537-1

0-585-08845-4

OCLC:

47011683