The Principles and Parameters Model

The Principles and Parameters (P&P) Model is a theory in linguistics that explains how humans understand and produce language. It suggests that our brains have innate, universal rules (principles) that govern language, but some decisions (parameters) are flexible, allowing languages to differ. For example, different languages have different word orders or sounds, and these choices are set by specific parameters. This model helps explain both the shared aspects of languages and their variations, emphasizing that our ability to learn any language is built on a common set of principles with adaptable options.