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On UG and materialization

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Author

Summary, in English

This essay discusses Universal Grammar (UG) and the materialization of internal and external language (commonly misconceived of as “lexicalization”). It develops a few simple but central ideas. First, the Universal Lexicon (the “lexical” part of UG) contains two elements: an initial root, Root Zero, and an initial functional feature, Feature Zero, identified as the Edge Feature (zero as they are void of content). Second, UG = a Minimal Language Generator, containing a) Merge, b) Root Zero, and c) Feature Zero. Third, both External and Internal Merge are preconditioned by Feature Zero or the Edge Feature (the Generalized Edge Approach). Fourth, the growth of internal language in the individual involves reiterated (formal) Copy & Merge of Root Zero and Feature Zero (the Copy Theory of Language Growth). The essay focuses on the materialization of internal language, but it also contains a brief discussion of externalization and language variation.

Department/s

Publishing year

2011

Language

English

Pages

367-388

Publication/Series

Linguistic Analysis

Volume

37

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Linguistic Analysis

Topic

  • Languages and Literature

Status

Published

Research group

  • GRIMM

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0098-9053