Communicativism and Cognitivism in Linguistics: From Plato beyond Chomsky - Paperback

by Yuko Sakai (Author)

While many people say that language is a tool of communication, others say that it is an expression of thought. We can call the former "communicativists" and the latter, "cognitivists". From ancient Greece to modern times, many philosophers and linguists have shown these two views. They are not always conflicting consciously, sometimes the same person advocates the communicativism in some respects, and in other respects advocates the cognitivism. What is the relationship between the two ideas? In this work, we will follow the history of the linguistic study of Plato to Chomsky, clarify the logical relationship between the two, and show a direction for future linguistics.

Author Biography

Professor emeritus of Tokyo University of Technology. (2002) Gengodentatsusetsu to Gengoninshikisestsu no Keifu (Genealogy of Communicativism and Cognitivism of Language). Tokyo: Liber Press. (2006) Yojigen ninshiki no bun kouzou-Supeingo no baai-(Sentence Structure Based on Four-Dimensional Cognition: in Case of Spanish). Tokyo: Liber Press. (2011) Nihongo no bun kouzou -bun no jukeizu- (Japanese Sentence Structure: Syntactic Tree Diagram.) Tokyo: Liber Press. (2016) Eigo no bun kouzou- sinsou kouzou kara hyousou kouzou e- (English Sentence Structure: From Deep Structure to Surface Structure). Tokyo: Liber Press.) (2017a) Ainugo no bun kouzou- sinsou kouzou kara hyousou kouzou e- (Sentence Structure of Ainu Language: From Deep Structure to Surface Structure). Tokyo: Liber Press. (2017b) Sentence Generation: Syntax Tree Diagram in English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Ainu. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. (2017c) Universal Sentence Structure: Syntax Tree Diagram in Spanish. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. (2017d) Japanese Syntax Tree Diagram: Based on Universal Sentence Structure. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. (2017e) English Syntax Tree Diagram: Based on Universal Sentence Structure. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. (2017f) Ainu Syntax Tree Diagram: Based on Universal Sentence Structure. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.