Language, Frogs and Savants: More Linguistic Problems, Puzzles and Polemics

Preface.

Introduction: What everyone should know about language and linguistics.

Part I. The meaning of ‘Language’.

Part II. Knowledge of Language.

Part III. Describing Knowledge of Language.

Part IV. Explanation in Language.

Part V. Linguistics as a ‘Science’.

Part VI. Beyond language: Pragmatics and the Language of Thought.

Part I Language in the Limit.

1. Savants.

2. Singing by the Dead.

3. Maganar Hannu.

4. Sneering at the Arts.

5. Babes and Sucklings.

6. Censored?.

7. Did you know that the Portuguese for Turkey is Peru?.

Part II Language in the Genes.

8. Obstinacy.

9. Backlash.

10. Is there a gene for linguists?.

11. Frogs, Parrots, Grooming, the Basal Ganglia and Language.

Part III Core Concerns.

12. Parametric Poverty.

13. Linguistics by Numbers.

14. Modules, Modals, Maths & the Mind.

15. Nothing.

16. The.

17. Are gucks mentally represented?.

Postscript: A Refutation.

18. Wonder.

Glossary.

References.

Index.