Linguistics: Theory of Principles and Parameters

Abstract

In generative syntax, principles and parameters are related concepts whose aim it is to capture both invariance of language and cross-linguistic variation. Principles express universal constraints on human language; parameters define the space of cross-linguistic variation. Given the poverty of the stimulus, specifically the problem of negative evidence, an innate language acquisition device, Universal Grammar (UG), is assumed. The interaction of UG with exposure enables the child to acquire language. UG comprises a computational system consisting of constraints that are invariant across human languages (the ‘principles’), and constraints that vary within a well defined range (the ‘parameters’). Two invariant principles are illustrated: (a) all syntactic structure is centered around a core-element, the head; (b) syntax is morphology-driven. Languages vary with respect to their morphological properties and this morphological variation determines the settings of the parameters of crosslinguistic variation. A single parameter setting determines a cluster of syntactic properties. Examples of morphology-based parametric variation are the pro-drop parameter, which determines the possibility of subject pronoun omission, and the verb-movement parameter, which determines the position of the verb with respect to, among other things, adverbs and sentential negation. Parameter resetting accounts for diachronic changes.