Ignorance of Language

By: Michael Devitt

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Hardcover | 27 April 2006

At a Glance

Hardcover
320 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.39 x 15.6 x 1.91

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The Chomskian revolution in linguistics gave rise to a new orthodoxy about mind and language. Michael Devitt throws down a provocative challenge to that orthodoxy. What is linguistics about? What role should linguistic intuitions play in constructing grammars? What is innate about language? Is there a ''language faculty''? These questions are crucial to our developing understanding of ourselves; Michael Devitt offers refreshingly original answers. He argues that linguistics is about linguistic reality and is not part of psychology; that linguistic rules are not represented in the mind; that speakers are largely ignorant of their language; that speakers'' intuitions do not reflect information supplied by the language faculty and are not the main evidence for grammars; that the rules of ''Universal Grammar'' are largely, if not entirely, innate structure rules of thought; indeed, that there is little or nothing to the language faculty. Devitt''s controversial theses will prove highly stimulating to anyone working on language and the mind.

Industry Reviews

A wealth of careful distinctions and detailed arguments...an example of how serious philosophy of a very technical area may be conducted with thoroughness, lucidity, and elegance. * John Collins, Mind Journal *

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