Models of the Human in Twentieth-Century Linguistic Theories: System, Order, Creativity

Description

This book provides a refreshingly new perspective for investigating linguistic texts, which foregrounds models of the human. It presents a close reading of major linguistic theories in the twentieth century with a focus on three main themes: linguistic system and the individual speaker; social order; and linguistic creativity. The examination of these three fundamental themes concerning language and human nature, on the one hand, provides a fine-textured exposition on the implicit and explicit models of human nature endorsed by major theorists; on the other, it reveals the methodological dilemmas faced by linguistics. In light of the fact that the importance of considering posthumanist ideas is increasingly being underscored today, both within and outside linguistics, this focus on the human makes the book highly topical. Acknowledgements Contents About the Author Chapter 1: Introduction References Part I: System and the Individual Speaker 1.1 Introduction Chapter 2: Saussure: Langue as an Autonomous System Two Readings on Langue Versus Parole References Chapter 3: Bloomfield: A Grammar System References Chapter 4: Chomsky: System and the Ideal Speaker–Hearer References Chapter 5: Labov: Systemic Variation and Knowledge References Chapter 6: Bucholtz and Hall: System and Identity References Chapter 7: Haugen, Mühlhäusler and Mufwene: System and Language Ecology References Chapter 8: Conclusion to Part I References Part II: Social Order 1.1 Introduction Chapter 9: From Durkheim to Garfinkel: Social Facts and Social Order References Chapter 10: Garfinkel: Members’ Methods of Producing Order References Chapter 11: Case Study Agnes’s Case Breaching Experiments References Chapter 12: Sacks, Schegloff and Jefferson: Order in Conversation References Chapter 13: Social Order, Rationality and Modernity References Chapter 14: Pragmatics: Order in Speech Acts Excuses, Abnormal Situation and Communicational Order Speech Act, Convention, Intention and Rules References Chapter 15: Comparison of Conversation Analysis and Speech Act Theory References Chapter 16: Conclusion to Part II References Part III: Creativity 1.1 Introduction Chapter 17: Creativity, Linguistics, and the Skinner–Chomsky Controversy References Chapter 18: Comparing Chomsky, Skinner and Harris: How Are Human Roles Conceptualized? Chomsky Skinner Harris Summary References Chapter 19: Comparing Chomsky, Skinner and Harris: What Counts as ‘New’? Chomsky Skinner Harris Summary References Chapter 20: Comparing Chomsky, Skinner and Harris: Thoughts on Politics and Human Nature Chomsky Skinner Harris Summary References Chapter 21: Alternative Theories: Creativity, Metaphor and Everyday Conversation References Chapter 22: Creativity, Machines and Posthumanism References Chapter 23: Conclusion to Part III References Chapter 24: Conclusion References Name Index General Index