--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can imagine a different world in…" description: "\"You can imagine a different world in which a number of species developed with different genetically determined linguistic systems. It hasn't happened i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg" --- # You can imagine a different world in which a number of… ![“You can imagine a different world in which a number of species developed with different genetically determined linguistic systems. It hasn't happened in evolution. What has happened is that one species has developed, and the genetic structure of this species happens to involve a variety of…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg) > “You can imagine a different world in which a number of species developed with different genetically determined linguistic systems. It hasn't happened in evolution. What has happened is that one species has developed, and the genetic structure of this species happens to involve a variety of intricate abstract principles of linguistic organization that, therefore, necessarily constrain every language, and, in fact, create the basis for learning language as a way of organizing experience rather than constituting something learned from experience.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans possess innate linguistic structures that shape all languages, making language a framework for organizing experience rather than a learned skill. **In simple terms:** Innate brain structures guide language, not just learning. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of innate cognition in language. Themes cognition language innateness Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theoretical scientific When to use this quote - Education - AI language modeling - cross‑cultural communication - language teaching Key Concepts Universal Grammar cognitive architecture experience organization Questions to Reflect On - How do innate structures influence language change? - Can AI emulate this innate framework? A Different Perspective Innate structures may limit linguistic diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Different worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-worlds/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Learning language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-language/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [My feeling is that a human being or any complex organism has a system of cognitive structures that develop much in the way the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/my-feeling-is-that-a-human-being-or-any-complex-organism-has-a-system/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The integers of language are sentences, and their organs are the parts of speech. Linguistic organization, then, consists in the differentiation of the parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley-powell/the-integers-of-language-are-sentences-and-their-organs-are-the-parts/) [John Wesley Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley-powell/) > [We know evolution happened not because of transitional fossils such as A. natans but because of the convergence of evidence from such diverse fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/we-know-evolution-happened-not-because-of-transitional-fossils-such/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [“The point is that the science is accurate in describing how the universe works, independent of the metaphysical implications one derives from it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scientific-american-editors/the-point-is-that-the-science-is-accurate-in-describing-how-the/) Scientific American Editors > [Evolution is evolution - and it's happened before us and will continue after we're gone. But, what's taking place now is much more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-solis/evolution-is-evolution-and-it-s-happened-before-us-and-will-continue/) [Brian Solis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-solis/) > [People don't show up here (at the courtroom) because they believe evolution is bad science. They show up because they believe that if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenie-scott/people-don-t-show-up-here-at-the-courtroom-because-they-believe/) [Eugenie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenie-scott/) > [We know evolution happened because innumerable bits of data from myriad fields of science conjoin to paint a rich portrait of life's pilgrimage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/we-know-evolution-happened-because-innumerable-bits-of-data-from/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [I think there's a lot of evolution that's happened in intangible ways, in terms of how I think about the work or how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tomine/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-evolution-that-s-happened-in-intangible-ways/) [Adrian Tomine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tomine/) > [“As soon as the genome had been cmpletely decoded (which would be in a matter of months) humanity would have complete control of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/as-soon-as-the-genome-had-been-cmpletely-decoded-which-would-be-in-a/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [“The many meanings of 'evolution' are frequently exploited by Darwinists to distract their critics. Eugenie Scott recommends: 'Define evolution as an issue of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-wells/the-many-meanings-of-evolution-are-frequently-exploited-by-darwinists/) [Jonathan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-wells/) > [“To walk through unknown streets in cities where you are merely learning the language is to force yourself into a new state of hypervigilance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-b-dallocchio/to-walk-through-unknown-streets-in-cities-where-you-are-merely/) [M.B. Dallocchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-b-dallocchio/) > [“Learning a language is not interesting than knowing how it works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh-shrivastav/learning-a-language-is-not-interesting-than-knowing-how-it-works/) Ritesh Shrivastav > [I love learning language and ideas that I didn't know before and making them sound like my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-love-learning-language-and-ideas-that-i-didn-t-know-before-and/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/knowledge-of-languages-is-the-doorway-to-wisdom/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [I never found accents difficult, after learning languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-never-found-accents-difficult-after-learning-languages/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [The more horrible this world (as today, for instance), the more abstract our art, whereas a happy world brings forth an art of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-more-horrible-this-world-as-today-for-instance-the-more-abstract/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) Anthony W. Ivins > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/future-lawyers-should-be-more-aware-that-law-is-not-a-system-of/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Painting is... a richer language than words... Painting operates through signs which are not abstract and incorporeal like words. The signs of painting are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/painting-is-a-richer-language-than-words-painting-operates-through/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) [Browse all 1,403 Abstract quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can imagine a different world in which a number of species developed with different genetically determined linguistic systems. It hasn't happened in evolution. What has happened is that one species has developed, and the genetic structure of this species happens to involve a variety of intricate abstract principles of linguistic organization that, therefore, necessarily constrain every language, and, in fact, create the basis for learning language as a way of organizing experience rather than constituting something learned from experience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-which-a-number-of-species/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abstract" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-which-a-number-of-species/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f3/noam-chomsky-42_abstract_you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-whi_2007452.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can imagine a different world in which a number of species developed with different genetically…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can imagine a different world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-which-a-number-of-species/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-can-imagine-a-different-world-in-which-a-number-of-species/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```