He was brilliant—a prodigy who graduated from Yale at 18, a pathbreaking scholar and a devoted and generous teacher.

一18就从耶鲁毕业的天才，一有着开拓精神的学者和一专慷慨的教师。

Engaging and original, this book offers a pathbreaking new account of language acquisition, varia- tion and change.

极具权威性和原始性，这本书独辟蹊径地提供语获得、变异和改变的新途径。