Modern language models refute Chomsky’s approach to language

Re:Modern language models refute Chomsky’s approach to language by MAXPOOL on Tuesday June 13, 2023 @05:21PM (#36317564)

> some evolved language structures in the brain.

That's Chomsky's argument. A small set of constraints for organizing language.

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Re:Modern language models refute Chomsky’s approach to language by 8note on Tuesday June 13, 2023 @05:32PM (#36317763)

This is testable, right?

Put a kid from one language tradition in a spot with a different language tradition, and they won't be able to learn it.

Eg. kids with native mandarin speaking parents adopted to native Indo-European parents fail at learning English, and will be better at learning Mandarin than their peers with Indo-European heritage.

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Re:Modern language models refute Chomsky’s approach to language by mcguire on Tuesday June 13, 2023 @07:14PM (#36318964)

That doesn't work. Children will learn whatever language they are exposed to. That is why Chomsky and others talk in terms of a universal grammar.

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Re:Modern language models refute Chomsky’s approach to language by IshKebab on Wednesday June 14, 2023 @04:46AM (#36323182)

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the brain has structures that are specific to a particular language.

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