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2 results

  • 1 - Introduction

  • András Kertész, Debreceni Egyetem, Hungary, Csilla Rákosi, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest
  • Book:
    Inconsistency in Linguistic Theorising
    Published online:
    23 June 2022
    Print publication:
    07 July 2022, pp 1-6

  • Summary

    The Introduction defines the aims of the book and raises the problems it will deal with. The first aim is that of the philosopher of linguistics, namely, to reveal basic characteristics of linguistic theory formation that have been unknown so far and would thus clarify important foundational issues. Second, the book also aims to show how our metatheoretical analyses will provide findings that are capable of substantially improving the practice of problem solving in theoretical linguistics. This aim is that of the linguist – however, supported and furthered by the metatheoretical findings of the philosopher of linguistics. In order to reach both aims, the book tackles the problem of how inconsistencies emerge in linguistic theorising, under what conditions they can be tolerated, and how they can be resolved. Since this Main Problem is very complex, we divide it into eight more easily accessible sub-problems, whose solution will in the long run lead, step by step, to the solution of our Main Problem.

Inconsistency in Linguistic Theorising
  • András Kertész, Csilla Rákosi
  • Published online:
    23 June 2022
    Print publication:
    07 July 2022
  • It is widely believed that inconsistency is one of the greatest sins a scholar can commit. This issue is especially relevant in linguistics due to the rich diversity of data types, exceptions to the rules, counterexamples to the hypotheses, and background assumptions which constantly come into conflict with methodological principles. Bringing together ideas from linguistics and philosophy of science, this groundbreaking book seeks to answer the following questions: which kinds of inconsistency arise in linguistic theorising? Under which conditions can inconsistencies be tolerated? And how can inconsistencies be resolved? It is the first study to develop a novel metatheoretical framework that accounts for the emergence and the resolution of inconsistency in linguistic theorising, and to reveal the strategies of inconsistency resolution in theoretical linguistics. Supported by detailed case studies, the findings of this metatheoretical analysis can be applied to improve the effectiveness of the working linguist's problem-solving activity.