Origins of Transformational Generative Grammar: Noam Chomsky and TGG

Origins of Transformational Generative Grammar

Introduction

From the late 1950s onwards, structural linguistics has sometimes been used with less popularity because supporters of generative linguistics initiated by Noam Chomsky have regarded the work of American structuralists as too limited in conception. They have argued that it is essential to go further than the position of items to produce a grammar which reflects a native speaker’s knowledge of language.

1. Noam Chomsky and TGG

Transformational Generative Grammar (also TG grammar, TGG) is a theory of grammar which attempted to provide a model for the description of all languages. It was launched and dominated by Avram Noam Chomsky (b. 1928), and it may be said to have officially begun with the publication of his book Syntactic Structures in 1957 (the classical theory) though some of the theory had been prefigured a few years before in introductory papers by Chomsky as well as in articles by Zellig Harris. Chomsky’s early work falls into two related points:

1. Criticism of structuralism

2. New formulation of linguistic theory

Chomsky has considerably modified his ideas since 1957. Undeniably, the best known theoretical position is that of Aspects of the theory of Syntax (written in 1965) or the Aspects Model, a position that Chomsky himself has called the Standard Theory. It is, in fact, the most recognized version of the theory since it added important considerations to the study of language. TGG was revolutionary and it is, undoubtedly, the most forceful and prominent in the century. No linguist who wishes to keep track of contemporary developments in the field can afford to overlook Chomsky’s theoretical contributions.