Approaches to modelling language that posit explicit mechanical devices or procedures operating on theoretical primitives in order to produce the complete set of linguistic possibilities in a given language. Such mechanical devices are stated in terms of complex formalisms inspired by work in mathematics, computer science and logic. Formal approaches typically take a modular approach to language and the mind, and assume that the goal of linguistic enquiry is to capture complex linguistic phenomena in as precise and economical a way as possible. Examples of such approaches include the paradigm of generative grammar developed by Noam Chomsky and the tradition known as formal semantics inspired by the work of philosopher of language Richard Montague.