Noam Chomsky
Founder of modern linguistics and influential political critic.
Avram Noam Chomsky was born on December 7, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant parents. His father, William, fled the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) in 1913 to escape poverty and antisemitism, working in Baltimore sweatshops and Hebrew schools before becoming a principal and college faculty member. His mother, Elsie Simonofsky, was born in the United States to immigrant parents from what is now Belarus. Both parents spoke Yiddish as their first language, and it was spoken at home; his father spoke English with an accent, while his mother used a native New York City dialect. The family was raised Jewish, learned Hebrew, and discussed Zionist political theories, especially the Left Zionist ideas of Ahad Ha'am. Chomsky faced antisemitism from Irish and German communities in Philadelphia. He attended the Deweyite Oak Lane Country Day School and Central High School, excelling academically but disliking rigid teaching methods, and also studied at Gratz College’s Hebrew High School. His father taught at Gratz College itself. His parents were center-left “Roosevelt Democrats,” but relatives in the garment workers’ union introduced him to socialism and far-left politics, and he was influenced by leftist and anarchist bookstores he visited in New York City.
Chomsky studied at the University of Pennsylvania and later, during postgraduate work at the Harvard Society of Fellows, developed the theory of transformational grammar, earning his doctorate in 1955. That year, he began teaching at MIT, and in 1957 his book *Syntactic Structures* reshaped linguistics. From 1958 to 1959, he was a National Science Foundation fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study. He created or co-created universal grammar, generative grammar, the Chomsky hierarchy, and the minimalist program, and played a key role in the decline of linguistic behaviorism, particularly criticizing B. F. Skinner. Often called the father of modern linguistics, he is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and a founder of cognitive science. He is now a laureate professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona and an institute professor emeritus at MIT.
An outspoken opponent of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, which he saw as imperialism, Chomsky gained national attention in 1967 for his anti-war essay “The Responsibility of Intellectuals.” He became associated with the N
- born
- December 7, 1928
- field
- Linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, political activism
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Transformational grammar, universal grammar, generative grammar, Chomsky hierarchy, minimalist program, propaganda model, anti-war activism
Lore & Background
Chomsky was born to immigrant Ashkenazi Jews in Philadelphia. His mother was born in the United States to immigrant parents. He developed an early interest in anarchism from alternative bookstores in New York City. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania, and during postgraduate work at the Harvard Society of Fellows, he developed the theory of transformational grammar, earning his doctorate in 1955. That year he began teaching at MIT, and in 1957 his landmark work Syntactic Structures remodeled the study of language. He created or co-created universal grammar, generative grammar, the Chomsky hierarchy, and the minimalist program, and played a pivotal role in the decline of linguistic behaviorism, particularly criticizing B. F. Skinner.
An outspoken opponent of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, Chomsky rose to nation
Reader's Guide
Chomsky is widely recognized as having helped spark the cognitive revolution in the human sciences, contributing to a new cognitivistic framework for the study of language and the mind. His work in linguistics, particularly transformational and generative grammar, fundamentally reshaped the field and influenced philosophy and psychology. As a political activist, he has been a leading critic of U.S. foreign policy, contemporary capitalism, and mass media, remaining highly influential in anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist movements. His ideas continue to provoke debate in both academic and public spheres, and his legacy includes both foundational contributions to cognitive science and a sustained, controversial voice on global politics.
Did You Know?
- Chomsky developed the theory of transformational grammar during his postgraduate work at the Harvard Society of Fellows.
- He was placed on President Richard Nixon's list of political opponents due to his anti-war activism.
- Chomsky co-created the propaganda model of media criticism with Edward S. Herman in Manufacturing Consent.
- He is an anti-Zionist who considers Israel's treatment of Palestinians worse than South African–style apartheid.
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