Journal of Universal Language

Sejong University Language Research Institue

J. Univers. Lang. 2013; 14(2):79-112

pISSN: 1598-6381

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2013.14.2.79

Article

The Minimalist Program and its New Insight to the Concept of Universal Grammar

Nasser Al-Horais¹^,^†

¹Qassim University

^†Corresponding Author : Nasser Al-Horais, Arabic Language Department, Qassim University, P.O.Box 6611, Buraidah 51425, Saudi Arabia. Phone: 00966556063595; Email: nasser.alhorais@gmail.com

Copyright ⓒ 2016, Sejong University Language Research Institue. This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Received: Aug 11, 2013; Revised: Aug 30, 2013; Accepted: Sep 11, 2013

Published Online: Jan 01, 2017

Abstract

The prime concern of this paper is to introduce the art of the Minimalist Program to the theory of grammar. Besides presenting the basic principles and techniques that make this new theory moving away from the over-generation and filtering character of its predecessors, this paper discusses some new ideas articulated recently by Chomsky such as changing the function of movement and the Extended Projection Principle (EPP) feature, or proposing new theories such as Phases and Feature Inheritance. These new generative ideas can express the sharp contrast between the conceptions of Universal Grammar in the Minimalist Program and the previous generative theories.

Keywords: Economy Principles; Merge; Agree; Multiple Agree; EPP features; Phases; Feature Inheritance

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