Natural Phonology: universal principles for the study of language (insiders meet outsiders)
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Date
2007
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Abstract
Ever since Jakobson (or, shall we say, Plato?)
linguists have been searching for universals (e.g.
[1]). Their views on the role of universals in
language and linguistics have varied widely,
though. In this session we want to concentrate on
the question of the existence of universal principles
for the study of language. Natural Phonology has
always advocated (cf. e.g. [2], [3], [4]) the holistic
view on language, both in the sense of analyzing
language structures (against ‘splendid isolation’ of
any structure) as well as in the sense of seeing
language as part of the universe. The latter means
that the same principles of explanation apply to
language and to other aspects of life, and thus they
are derivable from the most general laws of human
interaction with nature. In Natural Phonology the
principles are cognitive, phonetic, psychological,
sociological, etc. They lead to the establishment of
linguistic preferences which guide the explanation
of language-specific structures. Apart from Natural
Phonology, many other theories refer to universals.
Do they, however, look for universal principles of
explanation? This is the core of the planned debate
between the NP insiders and the outsiders wishing
to take part.
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Proceedings of the16th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Saarbrücken, 6-10 August 2007. Trouvain, Jürgen and William J. Barry (eds.)