David Lightfoot - Böcker

Work on the movement of phrasal categories has been a central element of syntactic theorising almost since the earliest work on generative grammar. However, work on the movement of lexical elements, heads, has flourished only in recent years, stimulated originally by Chomsky's Empty Category Principle, and later by the work of Travis, Baker and Pollock. Parallel to these theoretical concerns, much attention has been focused on the description of verb-second languages and on the movement operations which place the verb in its 'second' position. This volume represents the latest work in an important field, from some of its leading researchers, and puts forward many ideas about relevant principles and parameters of Universal Grammar. It will have a significant impact on its field.

New languages are constantly emerging, as existing languages diverge into different forms. To explain this fascinating process, we need to understand how languages change and how they emerge in children. In this pioneering study, David Lightfoot explains how languages come into being, arguing that children are the driving force. He explores how new systems arise, how they are acquired by children, and how adults and children play different, complementary roles in language change. Lightfoot makes an important distinction between 'external language' (language as it exists in the world), and 'internal language' (language as represented in an individual's brain). By examining the interplay between the two, he shows how children are 'cue-based' learners, who scan their external linguistic environment for new structures, making sense of the world outside in order to build their internal language. Engaging and original, this book offers an interesting account of language acquisition, variation and change.

New languages are constantly emerging, as existing languages diverge into different forms. To explain this fascinating process, we need to understand how languages change and how they emerge in children. In this pioneering study, David Lightfoot explains how languages come into being, arguing that children are the driving force. He explores how new systems arise, how they are acquired by children, and how adults and children play different, complementary roles in language change. Lightfoot makes an important distinction between 'external language' (language as it exists in the world), and 'internal language' (language as represented in an individual's brain). By examining the interplay between the two, he shows how children are 'cue-based' learners, who scan their external linguistic environment for new structures, making sense of the world outside in order to build their internal language. Engaging and original, this book offers an interesting account of language acquisition, variation and change.

A language develops over time, it develops in a child, and the capacity for language has evolved in the human species.

On behalf of the Steering Committee we are pleased to present the proceedings of the 2006 Joint Modular Languages Conference (JMLC), organized by Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK and held at Jesus College, Oxford. The mission of JMLC is to explore the concepts of well-structured programming languages and software and those of teaching good design and programming style. JMLC 2006 was the seventh in a series of successful conferences with themes including the construction of large and distributed software systems, and software en- neering aspects in new and dynamic application areas. We were fortunate to have a dedicated Program Committee comprising 41 internationally recognized researchers and industrial practitioners. We received 36 submissions and each paper was reviewed by at least three Program C- mittee members (four for papers with an author on the Program Committee). The entire reviewing process was supported by the OpenConf system. In total, 23 submissions were accepted along with two invited papers and are included in this proceedings volume. For the successful local organization of JMLC we thank Muneera Masterson, Ali McNi?e and Fiona Parker and other sta? and student helpers of Oxford BrookesUniversityaswellasRosemaryFrameandJoKnightonandothersta?of JesusCollege,Oxford.TheproceedingsyounowholdwerepublishedbySpringer and we are grateful for their support. Finally, we must thank the many authors who contributed the high-quality papers contained within these proceedings.