Noam Chomsky

Birth

Dec 7, 1928

Noam Chomsky was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended an experimental elementary school that encouraged students to develop their interests through self teaching. McGilvray, James A. “Noam Chomsky.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 28 June 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Noam-Chomsky.

Early Interest in Linguistics

1945

Noam Chomsky attended the University of Pennsylvania at age 16. By age 18, he was beginning to lose interest in the school and considered leaving until he met linguist Zellig S. Harris, who shared similar political views. Harris convinced him to stay and study philosophy and mathematics.
McGilvray, James A. “Noam Chomsky.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 28 June 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Noam-Chomsky.

Chomsky Hiearchy

1956

The Chomsky hierarchy is a series of four formal classes of languages, increasing in complexity labeled type 3, type 2, type 1 and type 0. Each is a subclass of the next.
"Chomsky hierarchy." A Dictionary of Computing. . Encyclopedia.com. 5 Jul. 2018 http://www.encyclopedia.com.

Contributions to his field

1970

Noam Chomsky believed that the ability to learn a language existed innately in the mind and grammar was constructed unconsciously through cues in the child's environment. He introduced the Chomsky hierarchy, generative grammar and the concept of universal grammar. Universal grammar relates to the notion that all humans are innately capable of acquiring language from birth
“Noam Chomsky.” The Department of Linguistics, linguistics.arizona.edu/user/noam-chomsky.

Legacy

2018

Presently, Noam Chomsky is a Laureate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona. He has written over 100 books and received numerous awards for his contributions to Science.
“Noam Chomsky.” The Department of Linguistics, linguistics.arizona.edu/user/noam-chomsky.