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The gift of limits: syntax, brains and machines.(PhD)

Period of duration of course
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Course info
Number of course hours
40
Number of hours of lecturers of reference
40
CFU 6
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Modalità esame

seminar presentation accompanied by an introduction with bibliography (30/30)

Note modalità di esame

The topics for assessment will be chosen jointly by the student and the teacher and will also take into account parallel interests and specific skills while, of course, being relevant to the general topic covered in the course.

Lecturer log

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Lecturer

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Prerequisiti

There are no pre-requisites for this course, except for a basic preparation in high-school canonical linguistics concepts.

Programma

One of the most important discoveries in contemporary linguistics is that not all conceivable grammars are realized in the world's languages. Where does this restriction come from? Is it a consequence of the formal properties of grammars or of the neurobiological structure that allows their expression? What is the impact on human communication and language learning? We will address two separate hypotheses: that of "impossible languages" and that of "impossible grammars," showing how neurobiological and formal aspects, respectively, allow us to characterize these two notions. The course will be enriched by the critical reading of classical texts and preceded by a series of lectures that provide a concise introduction to formal syntax. Finally, we will understand how the theory of impossible languages ​​is crucial for establishing a non-subjective difference between the grammars of human languages ​​and those developed by machines based on Large Language Models (LLMs).During the course, additional questions that the students find interesting will be considered, also taking into account the different backgrounds and education of those participating.

Obiettivi formativi

The course has at least three goals: 1) to familiarize students with the central notions of syntactic theory, focusing primarily on empirical problems rather than on current formalisms; 2) to understand the historical path that led to contemporary theories, ultimately defining the proper nature of linguistics as an autonomous discipline; 2) to compare the methods and results of formal analyses with experimental measures relating to the neurobiological foundations of language, particularly those inherent in the theory of impossible languages; 3) to illustrate the selective nature of natural language learning to verify, among other aspects, the decisive role this characteristic plays in differentiating human brains from the programs developed for very Large Language Models (vLLMs) in Artificial Intelligence research.

Riferimenti bibliografici

Obligatory reference texts:

 

  1. Chomsky, N. – Moro, A. (2023) "The secrets of words", MIT Press, Cambridge, MA
  2. Moro, A. (2015) "The boundaries of Babel. The brain and the enigma of impossible languages" (II ed), The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  3. Moro, A. (2024) "Parlo dunque sono. Istantanee sul linguaggio" (II ed.), Adelphi, Milano; partial italian translation "I speak therefore I am", Columbia University Press, NYC, NY.

  

Accompanying texts that can be chosen and consulted, depending on the student's interests, background and level of preparation:

 

  1. Berwick, R. – Chomsky, N. (2015) "Why only us", MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts; trad. it Perché solo noi, 2016, Boringhieri, Torino.
  2. Bonomi, A. (1973/2001) "La struttura logica del linguaggio", Bompiani, Milano.
  3. Demi, M. – Helong, T. (2024) "The development of Chomskyan generative grammar: from Standard Theory to the Minimalist Program", Taylor & Francis, Routledge, New York.
  4. Everaert. M - van Riemsdijk, H. (eds.) (2017) "The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Syntax", 2nd Edition, Wiley Blackwell, London.
  5. Friederici, A. (2017) "Language in our brain", MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
  6. Geach, P. Th. (1962) "Reference and Generality", Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
  7. Graffi, G. (2001) "200 Years of Syntax. A critical survey", John Benjamins, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  8. Greenberg, J. (ed.) (1963) "Universals of Language",x The MIT Press, pp. 73-113, Cambridge, MA.
  9. Haegeman, L. (1994) "Introduction to Government and Binding Theory", II edition, Blackwell, Oxford (freely available on line).
  10. Hale, K. - Keyser, J. (2002) Prolegomenon to a theory of argument structure, Linguistic Inquiry Monograph, 39, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  11. Hjelmslev, L. (1943) Omkring sprogteoriens grundlæggelse, Festskrift udg. af Københavns Universitet; trad. ingl. Prolegomena to a theory of Language, 1953, University of Winsconsin; trad. it. dall’inglese e introduzione a cura di Lepschy, G. (1987) I fondamenti della teoria del linguaggio, II ed. riv., Einaudi, Torino.
  12. Jespersen, O. (1924) "The Philosophy of Grammar", Allen & Unwin, London.
  13. Lobina, D. (2017) "Recursion. A Computational Investigation into the Representation and Processing of Language", Oxford Studies in Biolinguistics, Oxford University Press, Oxford, England.
  14. Moro, A. (1997) "The Raising of Predicates: Predicative Noun Phrases and the Theory of Clause Structure", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
  15. Moro, A. (2000) "Dynamic Antisymmetry", Linguistic Inquiry Monograph Series 38, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  16. Morpurgo Davies, A. (1996) "La linguistica dell’Ottocento", Il Mulino, Bologna; Engl. transl (1998) “Nineteen-Century linguistics”, History of Linguistics Series (Lepschy – Morpurgo Davies, eds.). Vol. IV, Longman Linguistics Library, Routledge, New York City, NY.
  17. Murphy, E. (2020) "The oscillatory nature of language", Cambridge University Press, UK.

 

 

NB: during the course, additional bibliographical sources will be indicated, also in relation to questions that arise during the lessons.

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