普遍文法(英語:universal grammar,縮寫為 UG),又譯為普遍語法,一種語言學理論,最有名的提倡者為喬姆斯基。這個理論認為在人類能夠學習到各種文法的普遍能力,是內建在大腦中的。它可以用來解釋語言習得的一般過程,說明兒童在發展語言時,使用同一個法則,來學習不同的語言。
這個想法最早可以追溯到英國的哲學家培根。最早提出這個理論的語言學家,是喬姆斯基、沙皮爾、與理察·蒙塔古。
20世紀80年代初,喬姆斯基和其他一些語言學家提出了普遍語法理論,也稱為原則與參數理論。
喬姆斯基認為,人類的大腦,只使用幾組固定的規則來組織語言。所以,他假設所有的語言,在底層都擁有相同的文法結構。這幾組有限的規則,稱為普遍文法(universal grammar)。
他們認為,普遍語法是人類所特有的語言知識體系,存在於正常人的大腦中。根據這一原則和參數體系,普遍語法包括一套普遍原則,利用這些原則,可以不斷合成短語;普遍語法還含有一系列參數,這些參數可以幫助和指導普遍原則更好地操作。
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- Applicative universal grammar
- 布若卡氏區
- 生成文法
- Linguistic universal
- 母語
- 優選理論
- 語言的起源
- Principles and parameters
- 先天論
- Universal Networking Language