The Debates and Reflections on Language Faculty from the Perspective of Biolinguistics

doi:10.13766/j.bhsk.1008-2204.2018.0070

Abstract

Abstract:

The concept of language faculty has attracted extensive attention in the field of linguistics, biology, psychology and cognitive science ever since its birth. Arguments on language faculty have been offered by Hauser, Chomsky & Fitch^[1], Pinker & Jackendoff^[2], Fitch, Hauser & Chomsky^[3] as well as Jackendoff & Pinker^[4], mainly concerning the categorization of language faculty and the view on language evolution. Through the detailed interpretation and deep-going analysis of the arguments, it can be found that their disputes focus on whether recursion is unique to human and language. Finally, some comments on language faculty are made in close reference to the recent relevant studies, and thus it can be concluded that recursion may not be specific to human beings, but certainly not unique to language.

Key words: biolinguistics, language faculty, recursion, language evolution, deleate

CLC Number:

WANG Zhen, FAN Lin. The Debates and Reflections on Language Faculty from the Perspective of Biolinguistics[J]. JOURNAL OF BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND A, 2019, 32(3): 111-116.

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