Ability Quote by Noam Chomsky
“The most striking aspect of linguistic competence is what we may call the 'creativity of language,' that is, the speaker's ability to produce new sentences, sentences that are immediately UNDERSTOOD by other speakers although they bear no physical resemblance to sentences which are 'familiar.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, Noam Chomsky, 1965
Language allows speakers to generate endless new sentences that are instantly understood, despite lacking resemblance to familiar ones.
In simple terms: People can create new, understandable sentences instantly.
Key Takeaway
Embrace linguistic creativity.
Themes
language
creativity
communication
Mood
educational
inquisitive
Type
theoretical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- teaching
- writing
- public speaking
Key Concepts
generativity
syntax
semantics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does creativity shape language learning?
- What role does context play?
A Different Perspective
Understanding new sentences can be challenging for learners.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
