The Principal Glossary

This glossary contains the major terms of the course.

Browse the glossary using this index

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G

Generative grammar

Generative grammar is a conceptual model whose central tenet is that language is a property for which human beings are biologically prewired.The name ‘generative grammar’ is used to refer to this model since speakers are assumed to possess a grammar capable of generating all the possible sentences in their language (while excluding all the impossible ones).