The Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry: A Systematic Introduction to the Methodology of Generative Grammar

484 Pages·1981·30.8 MB·English

by  Rudolf P. Botha

The Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry
JANUA
LINGUARUM
Series Practica 157
Studia Memoriae
Nicolai van Wijk Dedicata
endenda curat
C.H.van Schooneveld
Indiana University
MOUTON PUBLISHERS • THE HAGUE • PARIS • NEW YORK
The Conduct of
Linguistic Inquiry
A Systematic Introduction to the
Methodology of Generative Grammar
Rudolf P.Botha
MOUTON PUBLISHERS • THE HAGUE • PARIS • NEW YORK
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Botha, Rudolf P.
The conduct of linguistic inquiry.
(Janua linguarum: Series practica; 157)
Translation of Generatiewe taalondersoek.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Generative grammar-Methodology. I. Title.
II. Series.
P158.B6713 1980 415 80-25705
ISBN 90-279-3088-8 (casebound)
90-279-3299-9 (paperback)
ISBN 90-279-3088-8 (casebound)
90-279-3299-9 (paperback)
© 1981, Mouton Publishers, The Hague, The Netherlands
Printed in Great Britain
"... the only excuse teachers have for teaching is ignorance... their own; their
students' is taken for granted of course. If so, then teachers will do better to
study than teach, since the more they will know the less they will wish to
teach: which is all to the good. This is particularly true concerning methods. .."
Joseph Agassi 1976:11.

Preface for Instructors
As the student of linguistics progresses, he will be faced with questions such as
the following: What kind of activity or enterprise is linguistic inquiry? What is a
linguistic theory? What role do such theories play in linguistic inquiry? What is
the difference between linguistic description and linguistic explanation? What is
the function of predictions and postdictions in linguistic inquiry? How do
linguists make discoveries about human language(s)? How are linguistic theories
tested and justified? What types of argument do linguists use to justify their
theories? How do linguists react to criticism of their theories? As far as I know,
there is no textbook to which the student may be referred for well-founded
and systematically integrated answers to these and other related methodological
questions. The nonexistence of such a methodological textbook poses a serious
obstacle to the intellectual development of the student seeking answers to the
questions mentioned above.
There is, however, a good reason for the nonexistence of a methodological
textbook of the kind in question. The demands made on the writer of such a
textbook make the task quite discouraging. Not only should he possess the
normal didactical skills. He should also be at home in two extremely complex
fields: those of present-day linguistics and the philosophy of science. Contem-
porary linguistics is becoming more and more of a maze of highly technical
controversies which tax even the most skilled scholars in the field. This is even
more true of the modern philosphy of science. Attempting to write a textbook
on linguistic methodology involves braving the dangers of both and the chances
of survival appear to be slim.
A further obstacle to the writing of such a textbook is the fact that, under
normal circumstances, writers of textbooks rely heavily on existing technical
works in their particular field. In fact, most textbooks present little more than
a simplified, specially compiled didactical representation of information from
these technical works. As far as the methodology of linguistics — the field of
study in which the two above-mentioned subjects intersect — is concerned, such
technical works are extremely rare. This field is, in fact, poorly developed. Very
little or no attention has been given to questions such as those raised in the
introduction to this preface. As a result, much more is involved in writing a
methodological textbook for contemporary linguistics than the mere represen-
tation of existing information. A considerable part of the contents of such a
textbook has to be conceived by the writer.
viii Preface for Instructors
In view of this, it is clear why no methodological textbooks for contemporary
linguistics has been written as yet. However, the difficulties facing the writer do
not, unfortunately, detract from the need for such a textbook. The Conduct of
Linguistic Inquiry is the result of an effort to present students who have had a
first, conventional introduction to generative grammar with a truly introductory
textbook. As such it contains a limited amount of information on the general
nature and individual aspects of linguistic inquiry as it is practised within the
framework of generative grammar. The information contained in this book gives
the student some first answers to questions such as those mentioned at the
beginning of this preface. But it is not the ultimate aim of this book to give a
mere representation of information on methodological aspects of generative
grammar. Ultimately, the book aims at instilling in the student a consciousness
of and sensitivity for these methodological or metascientific aspects. I am
convinced that insensitivity as regards these methodological aspects is one of the
main causes for the turmoil in contemporary linguistics.
Generative grammar, however, represents but one approach within modern
linguistics. The Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry can therefore not really claim to
be an introduction to the methodology of "contemporary linguistics". In my
opinion, it is not didactically advisable to confront the student with the
methodologies of various alternative approaches to linguistics within the confines
of a single introductory textbook. I have chosen the approach within the frame-
work of which the most and the most significant linguistic research has been
done during the past twenty years. It would be senseless to introduce a student
to "more recent", "deviant" approaches within contemporary linguistics while
he is not yet thoroughly conversant with the substance and methodology of
"classical" generative grammar.
In order to make The Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry useful to as large a public
as possible certain measures have been taken. Thus, I have tried to keep the
contents of the book as uncontroversial as possible, both from a linguistic and a
philosophical point of view. As regards the linguistic aspect, the aims of genera-
tive grammar, the nature of linguistic theories, etc., I have concentrated on the
Chomskyan approach. This does not mean that I am propagating this approach,
nor does it imply that this approach does not have certain serious limitations.
Moreover, this does not mean that other, "deviant" approaches within generative
grammar are rejected as being sterile. Special status is accorded to the Chomskyan
approach for the following reason: neither the origin and early development of
generative grammar, nor the recent "deviant" developments within generative
grammar can be understood when viewed in isolation from the Chomskyan
approach. It is therefore clear that this approach should receive special treatment
in an introductory textbook. As we proceed, it will become clear that, from a
methodological or metascientific point of view, the Chomskyan approach is
defined in terms of ontological realism, phenomenological rationalism, epistemo-
logical empiricism and methodological generality.
I have also tried to be uncontroversial in my choice of illustrative linguistic
Preface for Instructors ix
material. The material has been taken from the controversy between lexicalists
and transformationalists, but the book does not purport to take sides in the con-
troversy. Chomsky's work on nominalization in English and McCawley's reaction
to it have furnished the greater part of the illustrative material. The material has
been carefully selected so as to require a minimum of general linguistic erudition
on the part of the student. At this point an explicit word of caution may be
necessary. The accuracy of the metascientific characterization of the Chomskyan
approach which is given in this book is in no way dependent on the correctness
of the substantive linguistic principles presented as illustrative material. Among
these principles are the X-convention, the principle of neutral lexical entries, the
recoverability condition on deletion transformations and the Coordinate
Structure Constraint. Should linguists at any time abandon or drastically modify
these and other substantive linguistic principles, they will not, by implication,
alter the metascientific principles presented in this book.
As regards the metascientific aspect of the book: wherever possible, a serious
effort has been made to steer clear of controversies such as those concerning the
structure of theories, the ontological status of theories, the nature of scientific
explanation, the mechanisms responsible for the growth of scientific knowledge,
etc. If, for instance, the ontological status of linguistic theories is presented from
a realistic viewpoint, it is not without reason. The realistic point of view happens
to be descriptive of the Chomskyan view of the ontological status of linguistic
theories and is presented as such. This policy has been followed throughout:
concepts, hypotheses and theories from the philosophy of science are presented
only insofar as they are descriptive of what is characteristic of generative
grammar on a metascientific level. To further understanding it is highly desirable
that the contents of a book such as the present one should be presented within
the framework of a single, homogeneous, explanatory theory of philosophy of
science. This, however, has unfortunately been impossible in the case of The
Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry: such a philosophical theory, which is free from
serious shortcomings, does not exist.
As far as the structure of the book and the presentation of the contents are
concerned, I have also adopted certain measures to ensure that the book will be
as useful as possible. For instance, an effort has been made to present the
material in a maximally digestible form. For this purpose I have consciously
chosen a pattern with certain redundant aspects. As far as the structure of the
individual chapters is concerned: each chapter is introduced by a "Perspective"
which contains a brief summary of the aims and contents of the chapter. At the
end of (almost) every chapter bibliographic details of selected additional reading
matter are to be found, in which certain important aspects of the contents of the
chapter are discussed on a more advanced level. This has eliminated the need for
footnotes and an abundance of disturbing references. In addition, the selected
reading adds an extra dimension to the book for more advanced students.
Through their further reading these students will gain insight into the problematic
nature of certain metascientific aspects of generative grammar.
x Preface for Instructors
As regards the general nature of the discussion: this differs sharply from my
other writings on methodological issues in generative grammar. Whereas these
writings present in-depth analyses of small clusters of related methodological
questions, the present textbook aims to be a more comprehensive, systematic
discussion of a broad spectrum of topics. Moreover, whereas the general tenor of
the discussion of the former writings is, on the whole, evaluative and critical,
that of the latter work is of a neutral, non-evaluative, expository nature. These
differences do not indicate that Saul has become Paul. It simply appears to me
unwise to introduce a student to a complex set of (methodological) principles
while simultaneously overwhelming him/her with what appears to be the serious
limitations of these principles.
It may be appropriate at this point to say something about the status of The
Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry. In its present form it is the translated version of a
work which originally appeared in Afrikaans under the title Generatiewe
Taalondersoek: 'n Sistematiese Inleiding (Kaapstad: Hollandsch Afrikaansche
Uitgevers Maatschappij. 1978). The content of the English translation differs
from that of the Afrikaans original on minor points only. A number of small
errors have been eliminated and the bibliography has been extended to include
publications which appeared up to the middle of 1978. The Afrikaans original,
which was completed in 1976, also served as the basis for a Dutch adaptation by
Ger J. de Haan, entitled Inleiding tot Generatief Taalonderzoek: Een Methodo-
logisch Handboek (Groningen: Wolters-Noordhoff. 1978).
Despite efforts to ensure that The Conduct of Linguistic Inquiry will be
useful to as many readers as possible, it is impossible to meet the requirements
of all potential readers, as these requirements are far too varied. Constructive
criticism of the contents of the book will not only make improvement possible,
but will also have another beneficial effect, viz. stimulation of the inquiry into
the methodological foundations of linguistics.
R.P.B.