The theory of principles and parameters is a stage in the development of generative grammar , in which the grammar of various languages is described using a system of universal rules, and language differences are set using a specific set of parameters.
Parameter examples
The parameter of zero subject : in Russian and Italian, the subject is not a mandatory member of the sentence, and in English and French in the sentence the subject is required.
Peak location parameter : in English and Thai, peaks are located to the left of their groups, and in Japanese and Turkish - to the right.
Parameter of verbal serialization : a verb group can contain only one verb in English and Indonesian and more than one in Edo and Khmer.
Topic promotion option: A special kind of theme promotion is not possible in Turkish and English, but possibly in Japanese and Choctaw.
Language learning
The system of principles and parameters implies a convenient theory of language acquisition : universal principles are inherent in the child’s head initially, but parameters for these principles were not initially established. Listening to the speech around him, the child captures the values of the parameters, learning the grammar of a particular language.
Literature
- Baker M. Atoms of language: Grammar in a dark field of consciousness. M., 2008.
- Beilin J. A Brief History of Generative Grammar // Modern American Linguistics: Fundamental Directions. M., 2002.