Open AccessAre the genes of universal grammar more than structural?
Author(s) -
HANSEN OTTO
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
hereditas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1601-5223
pISSN - 0018-0661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-5223.1981.tb01409.x
Subject(s) - universal grammar , transformational grammar , grammar , biology , sociobiology , linguistics , cognitive science , evolutionary biology , philosophy , psychology
Although not everywhere recognized, there is again increasing interest in the evolutionary role of human language. There is an unfortunate bias against the hypothesis of the acquisition of language biologically setting man apart. Nevertheless, Chomskyan linguistics must influence genetics as a science, while on the other hand there is a danger of sociobiological misinterpretation of the concept of language structure. Information theory should not be applied in analysis of the genetic position of language. The hypothesis of genes of universal grammar rests strictly on conservative operation with structural genes determining specific tissue, while the hypothesis has been necessitated by the body of evidence provided by the transformational linguists.