Chomsky's Universal Grammar: An Introduction

Noam Chomskys theory of Universal Grammar, which has continued to evolve over the past six decades, is central to the concerns of present-day linguistics. Chomsky's Universal Grammar introduces the reader to Chomskys theory of language by setting the specifics of syntactic analysis in the framework of his general ideas. This third edition explains its fundamental concepts and provides a broad overview and history of the theory based on current approaches. Technicalities are put into context, making them more accessible to the reader.The new edition has been substantially updated, providing an up-to-date picture of this rapidly changing model of syntactic theory. New material has been added throughout, including data on first and second language acquisition and the syntax of the developing Minimalist Program, such as Phase Theory. Additional discussion topics and exercises have been incorporated in each chapter to provide more student aids.