Generative Grammar Research Paper

4.3. The transition of the theoretical framework of Generative Grammar
The theoretical framework of Generative Grammar theory proposed by Chomsky and the contents which constitutes UG have been improved and transformed according to a certain period. The transition of the theoretical framework can be divided into three main periods. The first one is known as Transformational Generative Grammar from 1950s to 1970s. The second one is Principle and Parameter (P&P) Approach in 1980s. The third one is Minimalist Program (MP) which eliminates some principles in P&P approach from 1990s to the present. In this paper, we focus on P&P approach as a theoretical framework of Generative Grammar and the component of UG on the basis of this approach.

4.4. Principle

Principles that work in every natural language in the same way.
b. Parameters that are given in every natural language as a finite number of binary choices.
The principles are universal rules that every natural language possess in common. For example, one of the principles is a principle of structure-dependence, which represents that a rule of human language refers to syntactic structures not a word order. On the other hand, the parameters have binary choices, plus or minus, like a switch and are composed of the finite numbers and prescribed to determine the difference between each languages basically with an alternative value.
Then, as long as these principles and parameters are the components of UG, namely the things which play a role in LAD, how do these function in L1 acquisition actually? As an example, we compare the word order of Japanese with that of English on the basis of this P&P approach.
(2) a. [study linguistic] [言語学を研究する]
b. [from Sendai] [仙台から]
(Yusa,

In L1 acquisition research, the thought that LAD work in L1 acquisition is widely accepted. Therefore, some SLA researchers compared characteristics of L1 acquisition and L2 acquisition and they thought whether the language acquisition theory in L1 was true of L2 acquisition. In this chapter, we analyze the nature of SLA on the basis of the framework of UG theory in order to clarify the accessibility to UG and the extent of UG working. There are some controversial issues in UG-based SLA research. In particular, it has been argued as one of the main issues whether or not UG can work in SLA. In addition to the main issue, UG-based SLA research listed following