Ideas from 'How there could be a private language' by Jerry A. Fodor [1975], by Theme Structure

[found in 'The Philosophy of Mind' (ed/tr Beakley,B /Ludlow P) [MIT 1992,0-262-52167-9]].

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18. Thought / B. Mechanics of Thought / 4. Language of Thought
We must have expressive power BEFORE we learn language
                        Full Idea: I am denying that one can learn a language whose expressive power is greater than that of a language that one already knows.
                        From: Jerry A. Fodor (How there could be a private language [1975], p.389)
                        A reaction: I presume someone who had a native language of limited vocabulary could learn a new language with a vast vocabulary. I can increase my expressive power with a specialist vocabulary (e.g. legal).