A test bed for grammatical theories
Pieter A. M. Seuren · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2013
In this chapter, a number of crucial observations are presented and discussed that prove the inadequacy of current theories of grammar—especially ‘cognitivist’ approaches—which deny any universals and claim that language in the speaker’s mind is merely the result of statistical frequencies. In this sense, the chapter provides a ‘test bed’ for any theory, with the troublesome observations divided into class A and class B facts. The former are typically not the result of language acquisition or language teaching but are brought to awareness via immediate intuition on the basis of even imperfect knowledge of the language in question and are thus strong evidence in favour of language universals. The latter follow from ‘abstract’ rules and principles forming part of specific grammars and thus require a high level of competence in the language at issue. The final conclusion is that ‘abstract’ rules and principles cannot be done without. It is now up to the cognitivists and close relations to provide answers.