ALTERNATIVES TO CHOMSKY
          A NEW PARADIGM FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES FOR A NEW MILLENIUM
A Conference to be held on September 4, 2000 at Rutgers University
      in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in association with the
            Language Origins Society year 2000 meeting.

     The main obstacle that we have today to clearly understanding the
nature and origins of language is the overly formalistic, anti-empirical,
anti-historical influence of Chomsky's paradigm for doing linguistics.
     It has become very clear in recent years that Chomsky's generative
calculus model of linguistics has no relevance at all to anything about
actual language.  It has also become clear that the main generative notion
of the innateness of language is based on flimsy, non-existent evidence.
     Despite this, and despite the fact that many people in many different
fields are now actually studying real language in realisitic, empirical
ways, and despite the fact that many people intuitively understand the
emptiness of generative claims and practices, it still remains true, that to
the world at large, Chomsky's theories are somehow considered an important
"scientific breakthrough."
     So, the time has come that those of us who want to start a new paradigm
for language studies, who want to begin an empirical way of studying real
language, should simply explain why the entire Chomskyan method must be
thrown away.

     We are planning to invite 7 or 8 people from a wide range of fields to
speak at our one-day seminar which will be held on Monday, September 4, just
prior to the regular meetings of the Language Origins Society.  (LOS 2000
will continue on through Saturday, September 9.)
     If you are interested in participating please send a brief abstract of
what you would like to present to:
     Bruce Richman   e-mail brucerichman@hotmail.com
                     3805 Woodridge Rd.
                     Cleveland Hts., Ohio 44121
                     216-381-7510