MoL-2010-08: Toward an Evolutionary Linguistic Theory

MoL-2010-08: Fiske, David (2010) Toward an Evolutionary Linguistic Theory. [Report]

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Abstract

This work concentrates broadly on linguistic theory and the
methodology thereof, criticizes the role intuition plays, and suggests
a gradual replacement of intuition-based data with neurological data
to remedy the problem. It argues that linguists can exploit the
evolutionary design of the brain to solve interface issues and that,
as technology becomes more sophisticated, neurological data will yield
more fine-grained data that will inform more detailed theories of
syntax, semantics, etc. This hypothesis is demonstrated through a
detailed review of neurological data which attempts to categorize some
phenomenon (e.g. the Gricean maxims, indirect speech, etc.) as either
semantic or pragmatic in nature. Specifically, it is argued that Theory
of Mind, a cognitive ability distinct from the Language Faculty, and
the right hemisphere of the brain are essential to the felicitous use
of pragmatic speech. Following from this, it is argued that a
two-channel model of communication, where speakers communicate
meaning-altering information not just linguistically, but also through
Theory of Mind processes, is better equipped to characterize the
relevant data than current one-channel models; the two channel model
proposed is a minor alteration of Inquisitive Pragmatics (Groenendijk
and Roelofsen 2009). Some other implications which are discussed
include the assumption of nativism (which is defended with a poverty
of stimulus argument in the style of (Pullum and Scholz 2002)), and
the universality of the Gricean Maxims (which is defended through an
appeal to cheater detection (Cosmides 1985) and the logic of
evolution). This work adheres to the principles of evolutionary
psychology in argumentation and draws upon findings from said approach
to explain selected empirical observations and implications that arise
throughout the argument. Thus, this work is best characterized as a
philosophical work of evolutionary psychology and hopes to be seen as
a first, modest step toward integrating evolutionary theory with
linguistic theory.

Item Type:	Report
Report Nr:	MoL-2010-08
Series Name:	Master of Logic Thesis (MoL) Series
Year:	2010
Date Deposited:	12 Oct 2016 14:38
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2016 14:38
URI:	https://eprints.illc.uva.nl/id/eprint/833

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