keeleparameetrid

Keeleparameetrid, meaning language parameters in Estonian, refers to the underlying principles and constraints that govern how human languages are structured and how they vary. This concept originates from generative linguistics, particularly the work of Noam Chomsky, and proposes that humans possess an innate language faculty, often referred to as Universal Grammar. This faculty is not a complete language but rather a set of abstract principles and options, or parameters, that are set during language acquisition based on exposure to a specific language.

These parameters are binary in nature, meaning they can take one of two possible values. For example, a parameter might determine whether a language typically places the verb before or after the object. Languages like English are often described as SVO (Subject-Verb-Object), while languages like Japanese are SOV (Subject-Object-Verb). The specific setting of these parameters for a given language explains its characteristic word order and other grammatical features.

The concept of keeleparameetrid helps explain the speed and uniformity of language acquisition in children, despite the vast diversity of human languages. It suggests that children are not learning language from scratch but rather setting the values of pre-existing parameters based on the linguistic input they receive. Researchers study these parameters to understand the fundamental nature of language, its relationship to the human mind, and the reasons behind linguistic universals and variations across different languages.