"It is a generally accepted claim that in any given language, there exists an infinite number of potential sentences which can be formed. This leads to one of the central tenets of generative grammar, that in the acquisition of language, a child learns to use language not by memorizing an extensive collection of existing sentences but rather by coming to understand the relationship between the parts of sentences which can be formed, thus meaning that it is possible for a speaker of a language to create an infinite variety of potential sentences. This is an example of how mathematics can be used to understand, explore, and explain essential concepts of linguistics. The relationship between mathematical concepts and linguistic study is deep and ubiquitous, but as mathematical foundations are not typically considered essential for advanced studies in linguistics, students can easily miss out on an exploration of these important connections unless they pursue advanced studies in computational fields"-- Provided by publisher.