factual

Language has structure dependence, not just sequence

A deep, undisputed property distinguishing human language from simple sequential strings is structure dependence: relationships between words (such as a pronoun and its antecedent, or the membership of constituents) depend on their structural position in a hierarchical, non-local arrangement—often visualized as a tree—rather than mere linear adjacency.

factualpending

Speaker

David Poeppel

Evidence Quote

It has relationships that are dependent on where in a structure things are, not just in a sequence.

Source

15 | David Poeppel on Thought, Language, and How to Understand the BrainSean Carroll's Mindscape
Created: 6/13/2026, 12:19:52 AM

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