Key figures in Linguistics

Who is Ferdinand de Saussure?

A Swiss linguist and semiotician, considered the father of modern linguistics. Known for "Course in General Linguistics" (1916, posthumous).

What is structural linguistics according to Saussure?

The idea that language is a system of contrasts (e.g., /d/ ≠ /t/) and equivalents (paradigmatic relationships).

What is a linguistic sign in Saussure's theory?

A two-sided unit consisting of the signifier (sound or letters) and the signified (concept or idea).

What is the referent in Saussure's theory?

The actual real-world object or thing the sign refers to.

What does Saussure mean by the sign being arbitrary?

There’s no inherent reason why a word (signifier) refers to a concept (signified). It’s decided by the speech community.

What are langue and parole in Saussure’s terms?

Langue is the abstract, shared system of a language; parole is the individual use or utterance.

What is synchrony in linguistics?

The study of language at a specific point in time.

What is diachrony in linguistics?

The study of how language changes over time.

What is the difference between paradigm and syntagm?

• Paradigm: a set of related linguistic items (e.g., nouns).

• Syntagm: the linear combination of items (e.g., sentence structure).

Why was Saussure's theory groundbreaking?

It broke with traditional philology by treating language as a system of signs, but also opened the door to dynamic views of language (bio-cultural).

Who is Noam Chomsky?

An American linguist and political thinker, known for revolutionizing linguistics in the 1960s. Professor at MIT.

What fundamental question does Chomsky address?

Is language acquisition a result of nature (innate) or nurture (environment)?

What is Chomsky’s view on nature vs. nurture in language acquisition?

Language ability is largely innate; children have an unconscious understanding of grammar, sentence structure, etc.

What is the Poverty of Stimulus (POS)?

The idea that children are not exposed to enough input to explain their rapid language acquisition, suggesting innate knowledge.

What is the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)?

The theory that there’s a biological window (early years) to acquire language fully; after that, it’s much harder or impossible.

What is the Language Acquisition Device (LAD)?

A hypothetical, innate mental mechanism that enables children to acquire language.

What is Universal Grammar (UG)?

Chomsky's theory that all human languages share an underlying structure hardwired into the brain.

What critique exists against UG and LAD?

They focus too much on syntax and are based on Indo-European languages, ignoring semantics, pragmatics, and linguistic diversity.

What newer theories challenge Chomsky?

Theories focusing on pattern-finding, intention-reading, and broader cognitive-social skills.

According to Chomsky, what is the only requirement for a child to acquire language?

Exposure to language at an early enough age.

What big debate will likely always continue in linguistics?

Is language acquisition driven by biology (nature) or by environment and education (nurture)?