Two Functions of the Strong Minimalist Thesis

Abstract

The minimalist exploration of generative grammar requires that it simultaneously satisfy descriptive adequacy for particular grammars, explanatory adequacy for Universal Grammar (UG), and phylogenetic adequacy for the emergence of language in the course of evolution. The strong minimalist thesis (SMT), proposed in the search for “genuinely explanatory” theory that simultaneously satisfies these three conditions, has two roles: the disciplinary and the enabling functions (Chomsky, 2024). This paper provides an overview of the logic by which SMT is established and discusses how the enabling function of SMT, emphasized in recent years, provides a new way of looking at language.