This paper argues that we are moving toward a more experimental approach to language, one which is characterized less by introspective judgments and more by empirical evidence. The first section of the paper is a general discussion of the directions linguistic theories are taking. The second section discusses some of the fundamental problems involved in linguistic theory. The third section is a sketch of a linguistic model based on the assumption that the function of language is to communicate information. The fourth section discusses some syntactic rules represented in the model. The fifth section discusses the testing of the psychological validity of the rules. The sixth section summarizes the focus of this paper and concludes that empirical evidence is of central importance in testing linguistic theories. (TS)