I'm no Chomsky supporter. Just wanted to make that clear. I actually looked through a couple of his books once, and it looked like the usual linguistics to me, not that I would know real linguistics when seeing it.
But the example you give as a challenge to artificial intelligence technicians looks typical of much of the lyrics to Country/Western music. That's right, Nashville. A linguist wishing to make a mark for himself should go to Nashville.
32 hours.
LOL. I don't know the song, but I'm sure it's Country -- maybe not Nashville as Nashville is now.
It makes my point that Chomsky isn't about human language as humans use it. It's about artificial languages, and a very limited subset of human language, the well constructed sentence having an explicit meaning. Anyone who's ever been flamed on FR knows that well constructed sentences don't convey your intentions to your opponents -- else they would see the light and be converted. Right?
Nashville has always
been about metaphysics,
ethical choices,
real life politics,
epistomology, and,
of course, aesthetics.
Can Chomsky (or Rand!)
go one-on-one with Nashville
and go the distance?!
----------------------------------------------------------
He was an old-time cowboy, don't you understand
His eyes were sharp as razor blades his face was leather tan
His toes were pointed inward from a-hangin' on a horse
He was an old philosopher, of course
He was so thin I swear you could have used him for a whip
He had to drink a beer to keep his britches on his hips
I knew I had to ask him about the mysteries of life
He spit between his boots and he replied
"It's faster horses, younger women,
Older whiskey, and more money"
He smiled and all his teeth were covered with tobacco stains
He said, "It don't do men no good to pray for peace and rain.
Peace and rain is just a way to say prosperity,
And buffalo chips is all it means to me."
I told him I was a poet, I was lookin' for the truth
I do not care for horses, whiskey, women or the loot
I said I was a writer, my soul was all on fire
He looked at me an' he said, "You are a liar."
"It's faster horses, younger women,
Older whiskey, and more money"
Well, I was disillusioned, if I say the least
I grabbed him by the collar and I jerked him to his feet
There was something cold and shiny layin' by my head
So I started to believe the things he said
Well, my poet days are over and I'm back to being me
As I enjoy the peace and comfort of reality
If my boy ever asks me what it is that I have learned
I think that I will readily affirm
"It's faster horses, younger women,
Older whiskey, and more money"
"It's faster horses, younger women,
Older whiskey, and more money"
[Tom T. Hall]