An adequate theory of language should address two major issues:
Despite superficial differences, languages are identical at deep and abstract level. In P&P model this property of human languages is accounted for by postulating the existence of a set of abstract principles common to all languages called Universal Grammar. Obviously this hypothetical principles of UG are open to further testing against data from languages which may either conform to these principles or reveal their language specific characters.
Second issue is the converse of the fisrt that though languages are identical at deep structure, they exhibit significant differences at the surface level.The pattern revealed by cross linguistic differences seem to suggest that variation is restricted by a predetermined set of constraints. The task of linguists is to find out these constraints and explain how they relate to the system of principles of UG.
In P&P framework, language variation is accounted for in terms of parameters. A parameter is understood to be a restricted set of options or values associated with a given principle or category. Choice of one options yield a given pattern and choice of a different pattern yields a different pattern. For example, Head Directionality parameter: differences among languages according to their order of the head in relation to its complement.
VO (English) languages select: Head first parameter
OV (German) languages select: Head last parameter
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