<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> In the face of the complexity of language as an object of study, it becomes crucial for researchers who investigate its various facets to communicate and to understand each-others’ terminology, methods and results. The feasibility and utility of striving for the elegance of formal models of isolated aspects of the linguistic system (for example, set of generative rules in an individual’s head) are called into question: a theory of language needs to account for how it functions in multiple systems and on multiple time-scales. This short introduction to the special issue on Language as Social Coordination situates works in this issue on the map of collective effort to formulate such a theory. It is also a reflection on the form of a theory of language that could integrate this variety of data and results.</p></abstract>

In the face of the complexity of language as an object of study, it becomes crucial for researchers who investigate its various facets to communicate and to understand each-others’ terminology, methods and results. The feasibility and utility of striving for the elegance of formal models of isolated aspects of the linguistic system (for example, set of generative rules in an individual’s head) are called into question: a theory of language needs to account for how it functions in multiple systems and on multiple time-scales. This short introduction to the special issue on Language as Social Coordination situates works in this issue on the map of collective effort to formulate such a theory. It is also a reflection on the form of a theory of language that could integrate this variety of data and results.

Types of Integration in a Theory of Language

University of Warsaw, Faculty of Psychology, Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland

Psychology of Language and Communication

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Types of Integration in a Theory of Language"}

In the face of the complexity of language as an object of study, it becomes crucial for researchers who investigate its various facets to communicate and to...

Types of Integration in a Theory of Language

Published Online: Dec 28, 2012

Page range: 79 - 88

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10057-012-0007-7

© 2013

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.