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Birth
Noam was born in Philadelphia on December 7th, 1928. -
Studies
When Noam Chromsky turned 16, he enrolled in a general program at the University of Pennsylvania. However, he soon became dissatisfied with his classes and considered dropping out. It was then that he met Zellig S. Harris, who was a scholar of structural linguistics. Harris recognized Chromsky's potential and convinced him to stay in school. Harris also helped Chromsky achieve his B.A and M.A degrees through nontraditional modes of study. -
Chrosmky gets married
Noam and Carol Schatz were childhood friends and had three children. They lived on a kibbutz in Israel for a brief period of time after Noam completed his master's degree but before he started his doctoral studies. After returning, Noam continued his studies at the University of Pennsylvania and conducted some of his research and writing at Harvard University. Unfortunately, Carol passed away from cancer in 2008. -
The Logical Structure of Linguistic Theory
In 1951, Chomsky presented his master's thesis, showcasing his distinct perspective on language, formal systems, and the philosophy of science, which he developed under the guidance of his mentors while serving as a junior fellow (McGilvray). Despite the pushback from the rest of the philosophical and psychological community, Chomsky's ideas have since gained widespread recognition and continue to influence the field of linguistics today. -
Contributions
Chomsky introduced transformational grammar as a theory in linguistics. According to his theory, languages are innate and variations in languages are due to parameters in our brains. One of his most significant contributions is the Chomsky Hierarchy, a division of grammar into groups that move up or down in expressive abilities. These ideas have had ramifications in psychology and philosophy, answering questions about human nature and information processing. -
Noam became a proffesor emeritus
In 1955, he was offered a teaching position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy until he retired from teaching in 2005. In addition to his work at MIT, he also gave lectures and classes at other prestigious universities, including UCLA, Cambridge, Princeton, and Columbia. Universities, including UCLA, Cambridge, Princeton, and Columbia. -
Syntactic Structures
On February 14, 1957, Noam Chomsky introduced his revolutionary theory on human speech through the publication of Syntactic Structures. This book played a vital role in establishing his career as the pioneer of modern linguistics and paved the way for the "cognitive revolution" in psychology and other fields. Chomsky went through some struggles as he could not find a publisher for his book, the first edition was published in the Netherlands. -
Plato's problem
Noam Chomsky coined the term "Plato's Problem" while studying linguistics. This term refers to questions about how humans acquire knowledge and how it relates to their experiences. Chomsky's research on language development in children led him to question many widely accepted beliefs in the field of linguistics. -
Aspects of the Theory of Syntax
Chomsky's approach to the study of language and mind gained wider acceptance within the field of linguistics after the publishing of this book. Although there were many theoretical variations within the paradigm, the book played a significant role in promoting Chomsky's ideas. -
Solution to Plato's problem
Initially, the original theory was deemed too intricate to be substantiated, but it was subsequently enhanced with a more comprehensive approach known as "principles and parameters." This notion was first introduced by Chomsky in his book "Lectures on Governments and Binding"(1981) and further expounded upon in "Knowledge of Language" in 1986 (McGilvray). Over time, these hypotheses have been supported by empirical evidence. -
Noam Chomsky's Linguistic Philosophy: Syntactic Structures, Language and Mind