Linguistic Theory, Explanation and Linguistic Competence

Abstract

This chapter will aim at underlining the ramifications of the new view of the relationship between grammar, mind and computation. In this connection issues of explanation in linguistic theory in association with the notion of linguistic competence will be touched upon, since the challenge of describing linguistic competence per se in a manner that answers to explanatory import will put the emerging view to the test. The relationship between language, mind and computation that obtains has a direct bearing on how to describe linguistic competence, and also on how such description leads to or falls out of linguistic explanation. As we proceed, these questions will be further refined so that the concern about explanatory value and a description of linguistic competence that answers to explanatory significance can be properly addressed.