In tackling a learning paradox that has challenged scholars for more than a decade -- how children acquire argument structure -- Steven Pinker synthesizes a vast literature in the fields of linguistics and psycholinguistics and outlines explicit theories of the mental representation, the learning, and the development of verb meaning and verb syntax. He describes a new theory that has some surprising implications for the relation between language and thought.

"The author's arguments are never less than impressive, and sometimes irresistible, such is the force and panache with which they are deployed."
-- Paul Fletcher, Times Higher Education Supplement

"Pinker's book is a monumental study that sets a new standard for work on learnability."
-- Ray Jackendoff, Brandeis University

Steven Pinker is Professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT.