Syntactic diversity and language learnability

Abstract

We propose a preliminary model of a practical parameter setting procedure that aimsat bridging the gap between descriptive and explanatory adequacy. We present a list ofquestions that can successfully set 94 binary parameters in 69 languages drawn fromseveral different families using positive evidence only. Our proposal can be cast within aminimalist model of the language faculty, assuming an underspecified universal gram-mar and a rich network of implications among parameters. We argue that the workloadof parameter setting can be significantly reduced by means of two assumptions: firstby positing that only parameters with a positive value are set; second, by showing thatparameters can be set exclusively on the basis of a core subset of positive evidence, whichwe call the Restricted List. We suggest that a model with these properties qualifies as aplausible framework for language acquisition studies, and also lends itself to be appliedto closed corpora, such as those available as the sole sources for diachronic studies.