Round 12: Tossup 7
Specific term required. This theory is rejected in favor of “domain-general” explanations of its topic in Adele Goldberg’s Constructions at Work. Michael Tomasello declared that this theory “is dead” and advocates a “usage-based” theory. The “least effort condition” requires using resources from this theory unless a null output results. In P&P theory, this other theory takes the form of namesake “principles” that are instantiated by “parameters” that act like switches. This theory reduces to the “simplest possible computational operation” in the “Strong Minimalist Thesis.” This theory is supported by the argument that “scattered and degenerate” inputs still lead to language acquisition. For 10 points, the “poverty of the stimulus” argument supports what theory proposed by Noam Chomsky that there is an innate set of syntactic constraints across all humans? ■END■
Buzzes
Summary
| Tournament | Edition | Match | Heard | Conv. % | Neg % | Avg. Buzz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Site | 2026-04-17 | ✓ | 24 | 92% | 33% | 115.27 |