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The impossibility of testing the depth hypothesis of 1960 of a connection between the complexities of grammar and a limited human temporary memory led to questioning the ancient grammatical foundations of linguistics and to developing standard hard-science foundations. This volume is the first detailed report on how to reconstitute linguistics on the new hard-science foundation laid by Victor H. Yngve in 1996. Hard-science (human) linguistics is the scientific study of how people communicate. It studies people and also communicative energy flow and other relevant parts of the physical environment. It studies the real world, not the world of language, and it develops theories testable against real-world evidence as is standard in the hard sciences. Hard-science linguistics takes its rightful place connecting the humanities and social sciences to biology, chemistry and physics. Thus linguistics becomes a natural science and contributes to the unity of science. This unity is clearly evident in the research reported here by these fifteen pioneering authors from diverse areas as they work to reconstitute linguistics as a true hard science.
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Hard-Science Linguistics
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Hard-Science Linguistics Edited by
Victor H. Yngve
and
Zdzislaw Wqsik
continuum LONDON • NEW YORK
Continuum The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London, SE1 7NX 15 East 26 Street, New York, NY 10010 First published 2004 by Continuum '
The Editors and Contributors 2004
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers or their appointed agents. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 0-8264-6114-X Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hard-science linguistics/edited by Victor H. Yngve and Zdzislaw Wasik. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8264-6114-X 1. Linguistics-Methodology. I. Yngve, Victor H., 1920 II. Wasik, Zdzislaw. P126. H295 2004 4 1 0 ' . 1 d c 2 2 2 0 0 3 0 6 2 6 5 7
Typeset by Bookens Ltd, Royston, Herts Printed and bound in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wilts
Contents
Preface
ix
Introduction Victor H. Yngve and Zdzislaw Wasik
xi
PART I: ORIENTATION TO HARD-SCIENCE LINGUISTICS 1 The Depth Hypothesis and the New Hard-Science Linguistics Victor H. Yngve
3
2 Issues in Hard-Science Linguistics Victor H. Yngve
14
3 An Introduction to Hard-Science Linguistics Victor H. Yngve
27
4 Rules of Order Victor H. Yngve
35
PART II: RECONSTITUTING PHONETICS-PHONOLOGY 5 Towards a Physical Definition of the Vowel Systems of 49 Languages Laura L. Koenig 6 Articulatory Events are Given in Advance Douglas N. Honorof
67
7 An Outline of Hard-Science Phonetics-Phonology 87 Victor H. Yngve
vi
¥ CONTENTS
PART III: IN SEARCH OF CONTEXT 8 Reconstituting Notions of Reference Lara Burazer
115
9 Reconstituting Austin’s Verdictives Bernard Paul Sypniewski
129
10 Analysis of a Business Negotiation Mojca Schlamberger Brezar
142
11 Lottery Betting Bernard Paul Sypniewski
174
PART IV: VARIATIONAL AND HISTORICAL LINGUSTICS 12 Moving a Classic Applied Linguistics Study into the 191 Real World Douglas W. Coleman 13 Describing Frisian Communities in Terms of Human 214 Linguistics Elzbieta Wasik 14 Mayday or m’aider. A Call for Help in Understanding 225 Linguistic Change Janusz M