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Many important language universals are not reducible to processing or cognition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2016

David P. Medeiros ,
Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini  and
Thomas G. Bever
David P. Medeiros
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0028. medeiros@email.arizona.edumassimo@email.arizona.edutgb@email.arizona.eduhttp://dingo.sbs.arizona.edu/~massimo/http://dingo.sbs.arizona.edu/~tgb/
Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0028. medeiros@email.arizona.edumassimo@email.arizona.edutgb@email.arizona.eduhttp://dingo.sbs.arizona.edu/~massimo/http://dingo.sbs.arizona.edu/~tgb/
Thomas G. Bever
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0028. medeiros@email.arizona.edumassimo@email.arizona.edutgb@email.arizona.eduhttp://dingo.sbs.arizona.edu/~massimo/http://dingo.sbs.arizona.edu/~tgb/
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Abstract

Christiansen & Chater (C&C) ignore the many linguistic universals that cannot be reduced to processing or cognitive constraints, some of which we present. Their claim that grammar is merely acquired language processing skill cannot account for such universals. Their claim that all other universal properties are historically and culturally based is a nonsequitur about language evolution, lacking data.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 39 , 2016 , e86
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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