Concept of Language Production and Formation: Structuralism/Behaviorism vs. Transformational-Generative Grammar

Abstract

Since language is a vast arena for exploration, this study examines the relationship between language as a purely mental output and as an expression of psychological sentiment. It is both a linguistic and psychological study, engaging with the ideas of linguists and psychologists alike.

The scope of the study is confined to two major linguistic schools:

• The Structuralist School: Which adopted the idea of language acquisition as being similar to any other behavior (Behaviorism).

• The Transformational-Generative School: Which adopted a contrasting concept, viewing language as an instinctive, innate faculty present in the brain.

The research includes an introductory overview followed by a discussion of several topics, including: communicative behavior and language, linguistic anthropology, the concept of language between the two schools, structural linguistics (philosophy and psychology), and transformational-generative linguistics. The study concludes with a summary of results and recommendations.