FORMALISM

Formal language theory, the discipline which studies formal grammars and languages, is a branch of applied mathematics. Its applications are found in theoretical computer science, theoretical linguistics, formal semantics, mathematical logic, and other areas. 


—A formal grammar is a set of rules for rewriting strings, along with a "start symbol" from which rewriting must start. Therefore, a grammar is usually thought of as a language generator. 


However, it can also sometimes be used as the basis for a "recognizer"—a function in computing that determines whether a given string belongs to the language or is grammatically incorrect. To describe such recognizers, formal language theory uses separate formalisms, known as automata theory. 


The linguistic formalism derived from Chomsky can be characterized by a focus on innate
universal grammar, and a disregard for the role of stimuli. According to this position,
language use is only relevant in triggering the innate structures. 

With regard to the tradition, Chomsky’s position can be characterized as a continuation of essential principles of structuralist theory from Sauss...ure. This is particularly the case for Saussure’s principles of abstractness and arbitrariness. In Chomsky’s formalism, though, the principles of abstractness of language structure and the arbitrariness between linguistic structure and meaning are preserved – and the degree of abstractness is increased.