[NIFL-4EFF:2443] Re: Syntax

From: AWilder106@aol.com
Date: Sun Jul 20 2003 - 14:59:04 EDT


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Andres,

I love your observations.

>From what we know of brain structure I think it  is  probably more accurate to think of simple and more complex, rather than surface and  deep. Neurons, brain cells, are like little trees and they branch and connect to other neurons, trees, via synapses. The more language, the more connections.  When children learn language, it is as though their neurons are like little seedlings, then with age, further brain development, and more language stimulation, the branching takes off.

The simplest speech, naming, is the seedling base for further language growth.  All you parents can probably remember when your children started to do more than naming. Interaction with loving parents, teachers is like sunshine for seedling/language growth.

There was an article in the New York Times this week about how Chomsky is starting to move into language evolution, forced I guess some might say, because of archaeologists and anthropologists and evolutionary biologists.  "....even linguists have grudgingly begun to join in the discussion before other specialists eat their lunch."  Everything I have ever read about Chomsky suggests he is extremely competitive and doesn't like anyone to steal a march on him.

Andrea



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