Basic Laws of Language

Noam Chomsky, Faculty
Morris Halle, Faculty

Chomsky and Halle transformed linguistics as a discipline and built the strongest department in the world. They worked to uncover the basic laws that govern the working of all languages, while simultaneously explaining the incredible diversity of linguistic structures that these laws make possible. Their book, The Sound Pattern of English, is one of the most important works in the history of linguistics.

Pictured: Halle and Chomsky through the years. Photos by Kai von Fintel (2011); Sabine Iatridou, (1988); Roz Halle (1953).