Possible and Probable Languages
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In this important and pioneering book Frederick Newmeyer takes on the question of language variety. He considers why some language types are impossible and why some grammatical features are more common than others. The task of trying to explain typological variation among languages has been mainly undertaken by functionally-oriented linguists. Generative grammarians entering the field of typology in the 1980s put forward the idea that cross-linguistic differences could be explained by linguistic parameters within Universal Grammar, whose operation might vary from language to language. Unfortunately, this way of looking at variation turned out to be much less successful than had been hoped for. Professor Newmeyer's alternative to parameters combines leading ideas from functionalist and formalist approaches which in the past have been considered incompatible. He throws fresh light on language typology and variation, and provides new insights into the principles of Universal Grammar.The book is written in a clear, readable style and will be readily understood by anyone with a couple of years' study of linguistics. It will interest a wide range of scholars and students of language, including typologists, historical linguists, and theorists of every shade.
Features
- Explains the variety of languages and shows why some cannot exist
- One of the very few works in typological theory
- Clear style enlivened with wit
- Combines the two main linguistic theories - formalism and functionalism
- Former President of the Linguistics Society of America
- Main featured speaker at the 2005 German Linguistics Association Conference
Reviews
"A remarkably readable and highly thought-provoking work which will undoubtedly help scholars to crystallize their own views with respect to current debates in theoretical linguistics and contribute to a wider understanding of these debates."--Anna Siewierska, University of Lancaster
"In this fast-paced and provocative book, Newmeyer challenges some dearly held tenets of both functionalist and generativist theory. He argues, with characteristic clarity and verve, that, although Universal Grammar underlies much of human language, it is irrelevant to explaining typological generalisations. For that, we must look to performance, rather than competence."--David Adger, Queen Mary College, University of London
About the Author(s)
Frederick J. Newmeyer is Howard and Frances Nostrand Professor of Linguistics at the University of Washington in Seattle where he has taught since 1969. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the Linguistic Society of America from 1989 to 1993 and its President in 2002. He specializes in syntax and the history of linguistics and in his current research program seeks to synthesize the results of formal and functional linguistics. He is the author of the books English Aspectual Verbs (1975), Linguistic Theory in America (1980), Grammatical Theory: Its Limits and its Possibilities (1983), The Politics of Linguistics (1986), Generative Linguistics: Historical Perspective (1996), and Language Form and Language Function (1998). He was also editor of the four-volume compilation Linguistics: The Cambridge Survey (1988).
