Generative Grammar
Introduction
Generative grammar is a linguistic theory that regards grammar as a system of rules that generates exactly those combinations of words which form grammatical sentences in a language. It was first proposed by Noam Chomsky in the 1950s as a reaction to the structural linguistics of the early 20th century, and has since evolved into a rich and diverse field of study.
Overview
The term "generative" refers to the idea that the grammar of a language generates the set of all possible sentences in that language. This is in contrast to the "descriptive" approach to grammar, which focuses on describing the sentences that are actually used in a language, without necessarily providing a system that could generate all possible sentences.
The generative approach to grammar is based on the idea that the structure of a sentence is not merely a sequence of words, but rather a more complex hierarchy of linguistic units. Each unit in this hierarchy is a combination of smaller units, and these combinations are governed by a set of rules known as a "grammar".
History
The concept of generative grammar was first proposed by Noam Chomsky in the 1950s, as part of a broader shift in the field of linguistics from a focus on the description of languages to a focus on the underlying structures and processes that make language possible. This shift was driven by a desire to understand not just the surface features of languages, but also the deeper structures that underlie them.
Chomsky's original formulation of generative grammar, known as "transformational-generative grammar", was based on the idea that a sentence is generated by applying a series of transformations to a basic underlying structure, known as a "deep structure". This approach was later refined and extended by Chomsky and others, leading to the development of a range of different generative grammars.
Key Concepts
Deep Structure and Surface Structure
In the transformational-generative grammar proposed by Chomsky, a sentence is generated by applying a series of transformations to a basic underlying structure, known as a "deep structure". The result of these transformations is a "surface structure", which corresponds to the actual sentence as it is spoken or written.
The concept of deep structure and surface structure is based on the idea that the same surface structure can be derived from different deep structures, and vice versa. This allows the grammar to account for the fact that the same sentence can have different meanings in different contexts, and that the same meaning can be expressed by different sentences.
Syntactic Structures
Generative grammar also includes the study of syntactic structures, which are the structures that result from the combination of words and phrases in a sentence. These structures are represented by tree diagrams, which show the hierarchical relationships between the different parts of a sentence.
Syntactic structures are generated by a set of rules known as a "syntax", which specifies the possible combinations of words and phrases in a sentence. The syntax of a language is a key component of its grammar, and the study of syntax is a central part of generative grammar.
Types of Generative Grammar
There are several different types of generative grammar, each with its own set of assumptions and principles. These include transformational-generative grammar, lexical-functional grammar, head-driven phrase structure grammar, and categorial grammar, among others.
Transformational-Generative Grammar
Transformational-generative grammar, as proposed by Chomsky, is based on the idea that a sentence is generated by applying a series of transformations to a basic underlying structure. This approach has been highly influential in the field of linguistics, and has led to the development of a range of other generative grammars.
Lexical-Functional Grammar
Lexical-functional grammar (LFG) is a type of generative grammar that focuses on the interaction between syntax and semantics. In LFG, the syntax of a sentence is represented by a "c-structure", which shows the hierarchical organization of the words and phrases in the sentence, and a "f-structure", which shows the grammatical functions of these words and phrases.
Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar
Head-driven phrase structure grammar (HPSG) is a type of generative grammar that focuses on the role of the "head" of a phrase in determining its syntactic properties. In HPSG, the syntax of a sentence is represented by a set of "feature structures", which specify the properties of the words and phrases in the sentence.
Categorial Grammar
Categorial grammar is a type of generative grammar that focuses on the role of the "category" of a word or phrase in determining its syntactic properties. In categorial grammar, the syntax of a sentence is represented by a set of "type assignments", which specify the categories of the words and phrases in the sentence.