Speaking Images. Chomsky and Ricoeur on Linguistic Creativity

Authors

  • Walter B. Pedriali University of St Andrews

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/errs.2017.370

Keywords:

Linguistic Creativity, Imagination, and Metaphor

Abstract

Linguistic creativity is the ability to understand indefinitely many previously unencountered sentences. In this paper, I compare Chomsky’s and Ricœur’s contrasting conceptions of this ability, in particular, their divergent views of nonsense. With nonsense, it seems as if syntax is outrunning semantics. Chomsky took this to show that syntax is autonomous of semantics. I propose a reading of Ricœur’s work on metaphor whereby Chomsky’s thesis is modified so that syntax and semantics are declared to be ultimately co-extensive notions.

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Published

2017-07-31

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Varia

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