Syntactic Structures by Noam Chomsky

1. In 'Syntactic Structures', published in 1957, Noam Chomsky revolutionized the field of linguistics with his introduction of transformational grammar, proposing that the syntactic structure of language is not merely a set of arbitrary rules but instead reflects an underlying cognitive capability inherent to humans. Chomsky argued that this innate grammar allows individuals to generate and understand an infinite set of sentences, despite only being exposed to a finite amount of linguistic input during their development. The book critiques the behaviorist view that language acquisition can be explained solely through conditioning and imitation, instead positing that children possess an intrinsic understanding of grammar that guides their learning. This work laid the foundation for modern linguistics, influencing various domains such as cognitive science, philosophy, and psychology, while also sparking extensive debates regarding the nature of language, thought, and the universal principles that govern all human languages. Chomsky's innovative ideas continue to shape linguistic theory and inspire ongoing research into the complexities of language structure and acquisition.

What year was Noam Chomsky's 'Syntactic Structures' first published?

A) 1965
B) 1948
C) 1971
D) 1957

2. According to 'Syntactic Structures', the primary goal of linguistics is to...

A) Construct a formal theory of grammar.
B) Describe the historical evolution of language.
C) Teach people how to speak correctly.
D) Catalog all the world's languages.

3. Chomsky argues that a grammar should be a system of rules that can...

A) Define the meaning of every word.
B) Generate all and only the grammatical sentences of a language.
C) Predict how language will change over time.
D) Translate sentences between different languages.

4. The concept of 'linguistic competence' refers to a speaker-hearer's...

A) Implicit knowledge of their language.
B) Formal education in grammar.
C) Public speaking skills.
D) Ability to speak multiple languages.

5. Chomsky's approach to syntax is primarily...

A) Generative.
B) Structuralist.
C) Behaviorist.
D) Functional.

6. To address the limitations of phrase structure rules, Chomsky introduced...

A) Transformational rules.
B) Semantic rules.
C) Phonological rules.
D) Pragmatic rules.

7. In Chomsky's model, a transformational rule operates on...

A) The underlying phrase structure of a sentence.
B) The meaning of individual words.
C) The social context of an utterance.
D) The sound waves of speech.

8. The sentence 'Colorless green ideas sleep furiously' is used by Chomsky to illustrate that...

A) All sentences must be meaningful.
B) Adjectives must agree with nouns.
C) Grammaticality is independent of meaning.
D) Poetry violates grammatical rules.

9. According to 'Syntactic Structures', the grammaticality of a sentence is a matter of its...

A) Conformity to the rules of the grammar.
B) Acceptability to all native speakers.
C) Truth value or factual accuracy.
D) Clarity and simplicity.

10. What does Chomsky mean by an 'adequate' theory of language?

A) It must account for the linguistic intuition of the native speaker.
B) It must be easy for children to learn.
C) It must be applicable to computer programming.
D) It must be based on observable speech data only.

11. Chomsky's work in 'Syntactic Structures' was a direct challenge to which school of thought?

A) Behaviorism.
B) Romanticism.
C) Platonism.
D) Empiricism.

12. A 'finite-state grammar' is rejected by Chomsky because it is...

A) Too complex to be learned.
B) Focused only on word meaning.
C) Inadequate for describing natural language.
D) A type of transformational grammar.

13. The book begins with the assertion that linguistics is a subfield of...

A) Psychology.
B) Biology.
C) Sociology.
D) Anthropology.

14. The kernel of a language, as discussed in the book, consists of...

A) The most frequently used words.
B) Sentences with complex metaphors.
C) All possible questions.
D) Simple, active, declarative sentences.

15. A phrase structure rule like 'S -> NP VP' indicates that...

A) A sentence can be rewritten as a Noun Phrase and a Verb Phrase.
B) All sentences must have a verb.
C) A sentence is synonymous with a noun phrase.
D) A verb phrase must come before a noun phrase.

16. A transformational rule would be used to derive a passive sentence from...

A) A question.
B) A single word.
C) An active sentence.
D) A meaningless string.

17. Chomsky's theory proposes that language has...

A) Deep structure and surface structure.
B) Written and spoken forms.
C) Formal and informal registers.
D) Primary and secondary meanings.

18. The concept of 'recursion' in syntax allows for...

A) Sentences to be translated.
B) The creation of new words.
C) Words to change their pronunciation.
D) The embedding of phrases within phrases.

19. The 'Standard Theory' that developed from 'Syntactic Structures' includes which component?

A) A component that ignores syntax.
B) A syntactic component with base and transformational rules.
C) A component solely for social context.
D) A list of all possible sentences.

20. Which of these is a type of transformation discussed in 'Syntactic Structures'?

A) Metaphorical transformation
B) Passive transformation
C) Semantic shift
D) Historical sound change

21. What famous sentence does Chomsky use to illustrate the difference between grammaticality and meaningfulness?

A) "The cat sat on the mat."
B) "It was a dark and stormy night."
C) "To be or not to be, that is the question."
D) "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously."

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