Nim Chimpsky (was: implicational and factive verbs)

Dan Sulani wrote on Nim Chimpsky:


> I don't know whether
> the researcher who gave the chimp the name was pro-generative
> grammar with a sense of humor or anti-generative grammar with
> a grudge. (I seem to recall, though, that it was the former.)
Neither specifically.  The object of the research was to confirm
or reject Chomsky's hypothesis that language is part of
the species-specific behavior of human beings.
(Most other linguists think the same, I hasten to add.)
Terrace expected to confirm it, and that's what he
got, but if Chimpsky could do a Chomsky, Chomsky would be wrong.

BTW, Terrace may not have been emotionally involved with Nim,
but Laura Ann Petitto sure was: see her informal obituary of him
(NC died 2000-03-11) at
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/2000-03/18/083l-031800-idx.html

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