LINGUIST List 11.80

Mon Jan 17 2000

Qs: OT and L2 Acquisition, Syntax and Chimpanzees

Editor for this issue: Lydia Grebenyova <lydialinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Raung-fu Chung, Optimality Theory and L2 Acquisition
2. Jonathan Centner, Syntax and Chimpanzees/ Roger Fout

Dear Friends,
 I am now trying to do a research on the application of OT(Optimality
Theory) to L2 phonology. Is there anybody that can telle me or provide me
with more information about this field? The information would be related
literature, papers, articles, books, dissertation, and the like. I would
appreciate those who can help me.

 Best wishes,
 Raung-fu Chung

 Department of English
 National kaohsiung Normal University
 Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Dear Listmembers:

I sent this question to the list and I wish to focus on Fout's claim that
chimpanzees have syntax and use it. I give the issue a high order of
importance and wish to express interest in published comments and
non-published comments.

My current understanding of the issue is that they may indeed have an S
naught state which is intractable of matriculation to human language
behaviour. Any claim of non-human syntactic behaviour in my view requires
either rebuff or minute examination.

>Could someone point me to some reviews of or published comments on Roger
>Fout's _Next of Kin_?
>
>(William Morrow and Company, Oct 1997)
>
>TIA Jonathan Centner
>Southampton, New York


Jon Centner
Southampton, NY