Who are Noam Chomsky and Ferdinand de Saussure?

Answer

Who are Noam Chomsky and Ferdinand de Saussure? Evaluate their contribution to linguistics.

1. Noam Chomsky and His Contribution in Linguitics

Noam Chomsky was born in 1928 in the USA. He is a professor and a writer, too. Chomsky is known for his work in linguistics. Many people call him the “father of modern linguistics.” He has written many books and articles. Chomsky has taught at MIT for many years. His ideas are known all over the world. Many students and scholars follow his work. He is also a political activist and critic. He always supports the Palestinian cause. Let us discuss his major contribution to linguistics.

Generative Grammar: Chomsky introduced generative grammar in “Syntactic Structures” (1957). Generative grammar is a system of rules. It explains how we make correct sentences. He said our brain has grammar rules. These rules help us form endless sentences. Generative grammar clearly shows the structure of sentences. It uses deep structure (meaning) and surface structure (spoken form). This grammar helps us know how language works. It is useful for studying language scientifically. It also helps understand language learning and sentence-making.

Universal Grammar and Innate Ability: Chomsky suggested that all people share grammar skills. This idea is called Universal Grammar. He said children are born ready for language. Children capture their first language through the “Language Acquisition Device” (LAD). This is different from old theories. Universal Grammar says every language has common rules. These make it easier to learn any language. Chomsky’s theory showed that language is not just learned. Instead, language is also an inborn ability. This idea affected studies on how children learn languages. It also assists teachers in understanding language problems.

Minimalist Program: In the 1990s, Chomsky started the Minimalist Program. This program looks for the simplest language rules. It asks what the most basic system is needed. The goal is to make grammar models smaller and easier. Chomsky wanted to explain language with the fewest rules. Many linguists use this program for their research. By this, experts find which features are