Three Aspects of the Relation between Lexical and Syntactic Knowledge

This chapter outlines three areas of research that reflect different emphases in Carol Chomsky's work on language. First, language learning can proceed over a long period, possibly into adolescence. Second, language learning is robust despite many individual and environmental differences: the acquisition of basic syntactic patterns follows the same general patterns despite wide variation in individuals and the linguistic environment. Third, (psycho)linguistic science can be usefully applied to such problems as reading; in particular, fluent reading involves integrating lexical and phrasal levels. Each of these areas involves a balance between processing of the two major kinds of information one has about one's language: the lexicon and the syntax.