"Don't Say Gay"

[Ronald Butters]

On Feb 17, 2012, at 3:54 PM, Benjamin Barrett wrote:

> Linguistics is subject to scrutiny just as any natural and social science is.

Yes, of course.

> Mathematicians wonder whether math is a human invention or a natural phenomenon, a puzzle that might be solved if we encounter exomathematics. Whether linguists are seeing grammar rules in patterns that are in fact only patterns, or whether grammar rules are something that come out of a syntactic black box is a question that has surely not been resolved yet.

There is not even a question here, so I have to agree that it has not been "resolved."

Math is obviously a human invention AND a natural phenomenon (if those two phrases have any meaning whatsoever). If "math" were somehow unnatural, the bridges would fall down. If there were no people around to (e.g.) build bridges, "math" would not exist. 

Qualifying the word "pattern" with the word "only" makes no distinction whatever. If no "patterns" were meaningful then we would not be able to learn language and speak to each other. (Well, maybe I am deluded in thinking that even some of us do.) 

The phrase "grammar rules are something that come [sic] out of a black box" makes no sense whatever. Where is this "black box"? What are "grammar rules"? What does "come out" mean?
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