Francis Y. Lin

Francis Yunqing Lin is a Chinese linguist and professor at Beijing International Studies University. He is known for his critique of generative grammar.

Critique of universal grammar
In an article, published in Lingua, Lin tries to provide a refutation of universal grammar based on methodological grounds. He points out that the very method for discovering the grammar makes it impossible to discover any innate linguistic universals. John J. Kim (from San Francisco State University) and Tong Wu (from Central China Normal University) has replied to Lin's views. Lin has published a reply to Kim's arguments.