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Chapter 2. On the logical necessity of a cultural and cognitive connection for the origin of all aspects of linguistic structure

  • Randy J. LaPolla
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Language Structure and Environment
This chapter is in the book Language Structure and Environment

Abstract

This chapter presents a view of communication not as coding and decoding, but as ostension and inference, that is, one person doing something to show the intention to communicate, and then another person using abductive inference to infer the reason for the person’s ostensive act, creating a context of interpretation in which the communicator’s ostensive act “makes sense”, and thereby inferring the communicative and informative intention of the person. Language is not necessary for communication in this view, but develops as speakers use linguistic patterns over and over again to constrain the addressee’s creation of the context of interpretation. Speakers choose which aspects to constrain the interpretation of, and language forms conventionalize from frequent repetition. As constraining the interpretation requires more effort than not constraining it in that way, it must be important to the speakers to constrain that particular aspect of the meaning, otherwise they would not put in the extra effort. Logically, then, the forms that do conventionalize must have been motivated by the cognition and culture of the speakers of the language when they conventionalized, even though over time the motivation is often lost and the form continues to be used only due to convention and habit.

Abstract

This chapter presents a view of communication not as coding and decoding, but as ostension and inference, that is, one person doing something to show the intention to communicate, and then another person using abductive inference to infer the reason for the person’s ostensive act, creating a context of interpretation in which the communicator’s ostensive act “makes sense”, and thereby inferring the communicative and informative intention of the person. Language is not necessary for communication in this view, but develops as speakers use linguistic patterns over and over again to constrain the addressee’s creation of the context of interpretation. Speakers choose which aspects to constrain the interpretation of, and language forms conventionalize from frequent repetition. As constraining the interpretation requires more effort than not constraining it in that way, it must be important to the speakers to constrain that particular aspect of the meaning, otherwise they would not put in the extra effort. Logically, then, the forms that do conventionalize must have been motivated by the cognition and culture of the speakers of the language when they conventionalized, even though over time the motivation is often lost and the form continues to be used only due to convention and habit.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. The influence of social, cultural, and natural factors on language structure 1
  4. Grammar and culture
  5. Chapter 2. On the logical necessity of a cultural and cognitive connection for the origin of all aspects of linguistic structure 31
  6. Chapter 3. The body, the universe, society and language 45
  7. Chapter 4. When culture grammaticalizes 77
  8. Chapter 5. The cultural bases of linguistic form 99
  9. Grammar and society
  10. Chapter 6. Societies of intimates and linguistic complexity 133
  11. Chapter 7. On the relation between linguistic and social factors in migrant language contact 149
  12. Grammar and geography
  13. Chapter 8. Topography in language 179
  14. Chapter 9. Walk around the clock 227
  15. Chapter 10. Types of spread zones 261
  16. Grammar and evolution
  17. Chapter 11. The role of adaptation in understanding linguistic diversity 289
  18. Grammar and the field of linguistics
  19. Chapter 12. On becoming an object of study 319
  20. Subjects and Languages Index 353
  21. Author Index 367
https://doi.org/10.1075/clscc.6.02lap

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. The influence of social, cultural, and natural factors on language structure 1
  4. Grammar and culture
  5. Chapter 2. On the logical necessity of a cultural and cognitive connection for the origin of all aspects of linguistic structure 31
  6. Chapter 3. The body, the universe, society and language 45
  7. Chapter 4. When culture grammaticalizes 77
  8. Chapter 5. The cultural bases of linguistic form 99
  9. Grammar and society
  10. Chapter 6. Societies of intimates and linguistic complexity 133
  11. Chapter 7. On the relation between linguistic and social factors in migrant language contact 149
  12. Grammar and geography
  13. Chapter 8. Topography in language 179
  14. Chapter 9. Walk around the clock 227
  15. Chapter 10. Types of spread zones 261
  16. Grammar and evolution
  17. Chapter 11. The role of adaptation in understanding linguistic diversity 289
  18. Grammar and the field of linguistics
  19. Chapter 12. On becoming an object of study 319
  20. Subjects and Languages Index 353
  21. Author Index 367
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