The Nature of Explanation in Linguistic Theory

Elegant analyses by linguists have been a point of pride since the time of the Neogrammarians. But ever since Chomsky’s pioneering work on the goals of linguistic theory, this descriptive emphasis has shifted to focus on explanation. What, the contributors to this volume ask, renders a linguistic account explanatorily adequate? What are the empirical and theoretical trade-offs that come into play when linguists aim for explanation? Renowned scholars weigh in here, offering insightful answers to these questions.