The Linguistics Wars

When it was first published in 1957, Noam Chomsky's Syntactic Structure seemed to be just a logical expansion of the reigning approach to linguistics. Soon, however, there was talk from Chomsky and his associates about plumbing mental structure; then there was a new phonology; and then there was a new set of goals for the field, cutting it off completely from its anthropological roots and hitching it to a new brand of psychology. Rapidly, all of Chomsky's ideas swept the field. While the entrenched linguists were not looking for a messiah, apparently many of their students were. There was a revolution, which colored the field of linguistics for the following decades. Chomsky's assault on Bloomfieldianism (also known as American Structuralism) and his development of Transformational-Generative Grammar was promptly endorsed by new linguistic recruits swelling the discipline in the sixties. Everyone was talking of a scientific revolution in linguistics, and major breakthroughs seemed imminent, but something unexpected happened—Chomsky and his followers had a vehement and public falling out. In The Linguistic Wars , Randy Allen Harris tells how Chomsky began reevaluating the field and rejecting the extensions his students and erstwhile followers were making. Those he rejected (the Generative Semanticists) reacted bitterly, while new students began to pursue Chomsky's updated vision of language. The result was several years of infighting against the backdrop of the notoriously prickly sixties. The outcome of the dispute, Harris shows, was not simply a matter of a good theory beating out a bad one. The debates followed the usual trajectory of most large-scale clashes, scientific or otherwise. Both positions changed dramatically in the course of the dispute—the triumphant Chomskyan position was very different from the initial one; the defeated generative semantics position was even more transformed. Interestingly, important features of generative semantics have since made their way into other linguistic approaches and continue to influence linguistics to this very day. And fairly high up on the list of borrowers is Noam Chomsky himself. The repercussions of the Linguistics Wars are still with us, not only in the bruised feelings and late-night war stories of the combatants, and in the contentious mood in many quarters, but in the way linguists currently look at language and the mind. Full of anecdotes and colorful portraits of key personalities, The Linguistics Wars is a riveting narrative of the course of an important intellectual controversy, and a revealing look into how scientists and scholars contend for theoretical glory. Publishers Weekly In this evenhanded, trenchant and witty academic chronicle, Harris looks at the fierce, acrimonious controversies that have rocked linguistics since the 1950s. At center stage is Noam Chomsky whose search for the innate structures underlying language revolutionized what had been primarily a descriptive, behavioristic science. Chomsky's followers, notably George Lakoff, James McCawley, Paul Postal and Haj Ross, came to view Chomskyan ``deep structure'' as a barrier to forging a link between sound and meaning. Their work, known as generative semantics, has been denounced by Chomsky as a heresy, but Harris, an English professor in Britain, credits generative semantics with making linguistics a vibrant, pluralistic field by introducing a crop of phenomena and methods which Chomsky had ignored. At the moment ``things don't look especially bright'' for Chomsky's model of language and mind, opines Harris, who asserts that the embattled, isolated Chomsky has borrowed ideas from his rivals and erstwhile followers. (July) When It Was First Published In 1957, Noam Chomsky's Syntactic Structures Seemed To Be Just A Logical Expansion Of The Reigning Approach To Linguistics. Soon, However, There Was Talk From Chomsky And His Associates About Plumbing Mental Structure; And A New Phonology; And A New Set Of Goals For The Field, Cutting It Off Completely From Its Anthropological Roots And Hitching It To A New Brand Of Psychology. Rapidly, All Of Chomsky's Ideas Swept The Field. While The Entrenched Linguists Were Not Looking For A Messiah, Apparently Many Of Their Students Were. There Was A Revolution, A Revolution Which Has Colored The Field Of Linguistics Ever Since. Chomsky's Assault On The Mainstream And His Development Of Transformational-generative Grammar Was Promptly Endorsed By New Linguistics Recruits Swelling The Discipline In The Sixties. Everyone Was Talking Of The Revolution And Major Breakthroughs Seemed Imminent. But Something Unexpected Happened - Chomsky And His Followers Had A Vehement And Public Falling Out. In The Linguistics Wars, Randy Allen Harris Traces The Origins Of This Revolution In Linguistics And Tells How Chomsky Began Reevaluating The Field And Rejecting The Extensions His Students And Erstwhile Followers Were Making. Those He Rejected (the Generative Semanticists) Reacted Bitterly, While New Students Began To Pursue Chomsky's Updated Vision Of Language. The Result Was Several Years Of Infighting Against The Backdrop Of The Notoriously Prickly Sixties. The Outcome Of The Dispute, Harris Shows, Was Not A Simple Linear Matter Of A Good Theory Beating Out A Bad One. The Debates Followed The Usual Trajectory Of Most Large-scale Clashes, Scientific Or Otherwise. Both Positions Changed Dramatically In The Course Of The Dispute - The Triumphant Chomskyan Position Was Very Different From The Initial One; The Defeated Generative Semantics Position Was Even More Transformed. Interestingly, Important Features Of Generative Semantics Have Since Made Their Way Into Other Linguistic Approaches And Continue To Influence Linguistics To This Very Day. And Fairly High Up On The List Of Borrowers Is Noam Chomsky Himself. The Repercussions Of The Linguistics Wars Are Still With Us, Not Only In The Bruised Feelings And Late-night War Stories Of The Combatants, And In The Contentious Mood In Many Quarters, But In The Way Linguists Currently Look At Language And The Mind. Full Of Anecdotes And Colorful Portraits Of Key Personalities, The Linguistics Wars Is A Riveting Narrative Of The Course Of An Important Intellectual Controversy, And A Revealing Look Into How Scientists And Scholars Contend For Theoretical Glory.--jacket. Language, Thought, And The Linguistics Wars -- Linguistics -- The Chomskyan Revolution -- The Beauty Of Deep Structure -- Generative Semantics 1: The Model -- Generative Semantics 2: The Heresy -- The Vicissitudes Of War -- Generative Semantics 3: The Ethos -- Generative Semantics 4: The Collapse -- Whence And Whither. Randy Allen Harris. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 311-340) And Index. Eminently suitable reading if you are embarking on a modern study of the field of linguistics or are writing an essay on the people and personalities involved or just like reading about the history and evolution of a science. Reads like a good novel. There are a few spots where the uninitiated might be intimidated by the technical treatments but they can be skimmed over. One gets a good sense of how, because of Chomsky, a Kuhnian style paradigm shift occured. What's missing perhaps is some insight that transformational grammar found a fertile ground because Chomsky was at MIT which did not have a deeply established linguistics department but did have a bias towards mathematical and notational models. The author warns you that the personalities, esp. Chomsky, come off a little abrassively. I got a sense of Chomsky as exceptionally brilliant, revolutionary but a man seduced into creating his own orthodoxy - an quite mean about it too. One wonders what might have happened had Chomsky not been dismissive of the study of semantics. I enjoyed it a lot. Prof. Harris writes extremely well. ;-) Contents......Page 12 1. Language, Thought, and the Linguistics Wars......Page 16 2. Linguistics......Page 23 3. The Chomskyan Revolution......Page 48 4. The Beauty of Deep Structure......Page 87 5. Generative Semantics 1: The Model......Page 114 6. Generative Semantics 2: The Heresy......Page 148 7. The Vicissitudes of War......Page 173 8. Generative Semantics 3: The Ethos......Page 211 9. Generative Semantics 4: The Collapse......Page 227 10. Whence and Whither......Page 253 Notes......Page 274 Works Cited......Page 324 B......Page 354 C......Page 355 D......Page 357 G......Page 358 I......Page 360 L......Page 361 M......Page 363 O......Page 364 P......Page 365 R......Page 366 S......Page 367 T......Page 368 Z......Page 369 Applying insights from anthropology, comparative literature, and feminist studies, Niditch considers a wide spectrum of war ideologies in the Hebrew Bible, seeking in each case to discover why and how these view might have made sense to