“The ability to understand a great deal of ill-formed language is not the accidental fallout of linguistic competence (i.e., the ability to speak in well-formed language), but is rather the anterior state necessary to have any concept of the well-formed at all. Rather, grammar always follows language and is generated as an always-partial description of what is actually there (i.e., a description of the parts there that are particularly useful in ways the concept of grammar defines).”
— Samuel R. Delany, “Some Remarks on Narrative and Technology”
Originally appeared on Philosophy Bits Read More
