UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR & DEEP STRUCTURE

Behaviorism• B. F Skinner• Chomsky’s s problems withbehaviorism

So how do we learn so much onthe basis of so little evidence?• This is a version of what is called Plato's problem.• Plato's answer was that much knowledge is fromearlier existence and merely reawakened.• Chomsky “ It all seems that a child approachesthe task of acquiring a language with a richconceptual framework already in place and also arich system of assumptions about sound structureand the structure of complex utterances.”

LAD- Language AcquisitionDevice• According to Chomsky, LAD is theneurological system in the brain thatfacilitates language development.

Universal Grammar• Is the theory introduced by NoamChomsky that there are rules oflanguage that all humans are bornwith, they are internal, not imitated.

Deep Structure• What is “deep structure”?• The basic knowledge of phrasestructure rules• Transformational Rules• Deep and Surface Structure

REVISED EXTENDEDSTANDARD THEORYPHRASE STRUCTURERULESLEXICONDEEP STRUCTURETRANSFROMATIONAL RULESSURFACE STRUCTURE

Deep Structure• Definition:- The basic structure of sentences- Specified by the “Phrase StructureRules”

Phrase structure Rules• Create initial syntactic trees• PS rules: S → N VPVP → V NPNP → Det N• e.g. [[Harry] [[moved] [the chair]]]

TREE DIAGRAM(HARRY MOVED THE CHAIR)SNVPHARRY V NPMOVED DET NTHECHAIR

Transformational Rules• A syntactic rule that applies to anunderlying phrase structure tree of asentence• Derives a new structure by moving orinserting elementse.g.John saw who → Who did John see• A way to capture the relationshipbetween a declarative and question

Deep Structure & SurfaceStructure• Deep Structure:- The first tree represents the deep structure of thesentence- The trees are generated by Phrase Structurerules- The input to principles of semantic interpretation• Surface Structure:- Results from the application of transformationalrules- The trees produced by transformations operatingon these deep structures- The output of the transformational rules

THE BOY IS SLEEPING.SNP Aux NPDetNisVTheboysleeping

IS THE BOY SLEEPING?SAux NP VPis Det N Vtheboysleeping

Is UG also available to L2learners?Someone studying English as asecond language would only beconfused by instruction about thereal principles of grammar; thesethey already know, being human.Noam Chomsky

Four UG hypotheses• The pure UG Hypothesis• UG is dead• Role of the L1• UG is partially available

UG & Critical Age• Are children better than adults atlearning a second language?

Krashen’s Hypotheses• The Input Hypothesis• The Natural Order Hypothesis• The Affective Filter Hypothesis• The Acquisition vs. LearningHypothesis

Summary– The UG is available to L2 learners.– Why does it seem hard for adult learners toperform well in L2?1.There is no enough unconsciouscomprehensible input before learning isintroduced.2.Compared to children, adult learners havehigher affective filter3.Adults are more influenced by L1 transfer

References• Brown, H. D. (2000) Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed.), New York: Longman.• Chomsky, N. (1972) Language and mind, , New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.• Chomsky, N. (2000) New horizons in the study of language and mind, Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.• Ellis, R. (1997) Second language acquisition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.• Escamilla, K., & Grassi, E. (2005) A brief description of second language acquisition, Readingpacket for TESOL 410-Collier(pp.5-18)• Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2003) An introduction to language (7th ed.) Boston:Wadsworth.• Jackendoff, R. (2002) Foundations of language: Brain, meaning, grammar, evolution. New York:Oxford University Press.• Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (1993) How languages are learned Oxford: Oxford University Press.• Martohardjono, G. & Epstein, S., D. (1998) ‘Universal Grammar: Hypothesis space or grammarselection procedures? Is UG affected by Critical Periods?’ Behavioral and brain sciences (1998)21,611-614614• Smith, N. (2000) Chomsky: Ideas and ideals United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.• White, L. (1989) Universal Grammar and second language acquisition Philadelphia: J. BenjaminsPublishing Co.