A pragmatist interpretation of generative grammar
To the outsider, generative grammar may seem like a radically unintuitive way of explaining our knowledge of language. It appears to characterise a device for building and interpreting sentences while insisting that this device is not involved in performance. This thesis is an attempt to make sense of the idea that generative grammar describes computations that don't actually happen in any temporal sense. It does so by providing an interpretation of the field and its results which emphasises the radically different conception of language underlying it. The thesis explains the philosophical context in which generative grammar developed and provides analyses of of the roles played by concepts like recursion, computation, and function-in-intension.
Mallory, Fintan Declan
A pragmatist interpretation of generative grammar. To the outsider, generative grammar may seem like a radically unintuitive way of explaining our knowledge of language. It appears to characterise a device for building and interpreting sentences while insisting that this device is not involved in performance. This thesis is an attempt to make sense of the idea that generative grammar describes computations that don't actually happen in any temporal sense. It does so by providing an interpretation of the field and its results which emphasises the radically different conception of language underlying it. The thesis explains the philosophical context in which generative grammar developed and provides analyses of of the roles played by concepts like recursion, computation, and function-in-intension.
pragmatist interpretation generative_grammar outsider generative_grammar may seem like radically way explain knowledge language appear characterise device build interpret sentence insist device involve performance attempt_make sense idea generative_grammar describes actually happen temporal sense provide interpretation field emphasise radically_different conception language underlie explains philosophical context generative_grammar develop provide_analysis role_play concept_like computation function