Abstract

has been devoted to working out the Parallel Architecture, a framework for linguistic theory which preserves all the mentalistic and biological aspects of mainstream generative grammar (MGG) (e.g. Chomsky 1965, 1981, 1995, 2000), but which employs a theoretical technology better in tune with discoveries of the last 30 years about linguistic structure. The present article sketches the Parallel Architecture and shows why it is preferable to the classical approach on theoretical grounds. It also shows how the Parallel Architecture lends itself to a much more direct relation between theories of linguistic structure and theories of language processing than has been possible within MGG, especially in its most recent incarnations. 1. Goals of a theory of language processing – and goals of language processing Let’s begin with some truisms that help set the scope of the problem. A theory of language processing has to explain how language users convert sounds into meanings in language perception and how they convert meanings into sounds in language production. One part of the theory has to describe what language users store in long-term memory that enables them to do this. Another part of the theory has to describe how the material

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