Minimalist Program

The Minimalist Program (MP) is a framework for generative syntax developed by Noam Chomsky in 1995, designed to explain linguistic structure while assuming the fewest possible theoretical mechanisms. The program seeks principles that are simple, elegant, and motivated by language evolution. It addresses core questions: What principles explain language structure? Why do languages vary? Why do humans have language? The MP has become the dominant paradigm in theoretical syntax, though it remains controversial and subject to ongoing refinement.