Structuralism 1. the Nature of Meaning Or Understanding
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
American Cultural Anthropology and British Social Anthropology
Anthropology News • January 2006 IN FOCUS ANTHROPOLOGY ON A GLOBAL SCALE In light of the AAA's objective to develop its international relations and collaborations, AN invited international anthropologists to engage with questions about the practice of anthropology today, particularly issues of anthropology and its relationships to globaliza- IN FOCUS tion and postcolonialism, and what this might mean for the future of anthropology and future collaborations between anthropologists and others around the world. Please send your responses in 400 words or less to Stacy Lathrop at [email protected]. One former US colleague pointed out American Cultural Anthropology that Boas’s four-field approach is today presented at the undergradu- ate level in some departments in the and British Social Anthropology US as the feature that distinguishes Connections and Four-Field Approach that the all-embracing nature of the social anthropology from sociology, Most of our colleagues’ comments AAA, as opposed to the separate cre- highlighting the fact that, as a Differences German colleague noted, British began by highlighting the strength ation of the Royal Anthropological anthropologists seem more secure of the “four-field” approach in the Institute (in 1907) and the Associa- ROBERT LAYTON AND ADAM R KAUL about an affinity with sociology. US. One argued that this approach is tion of Social Anthropologists (in U DURHAM Clearly British anthropology traces in fact on the decline following the 1946) in Britain, contributes to a its lineage to the sociological found- deeper impact that postmodernism higher national profile of anthropol- ing fathers—Durkheim, Weber and consistent self-critique has had in the US relative to the UK. -
Repor T Resumes
REPOR TRESUMES ED 020 167 TE DOD 444 LINGUISTICS AND WRITTEN COMPOSITION. BY- ALLEN, HAROLD B. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENG.,CHAMPAIGN,ILL PUB DATE 63 EDRS PRICE MF-$0.25 HC-$0.60 13P. it DESCRIPTORS- *APPLIED LINGUISTICS, *COMPOSITION (LITERARY), *LINGUISTICS, *RHETORIC, SENTENCE STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION SKILLS (LITERARY), PARAGRAPH COMPOSITION, PUNCTUATION, STRUCTURAL GRAMMARI.TRANSFORMATION GENERATIVE GRAMMAR, TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR, WRITING SKILLS, SENTENCES, THE DESCRIPTIVE SCIENCE OF LINGUISTICS AND THE SKILL OF WRITTEN COMPOSITION MEET IN THE "SENTENCE," AND THE INFORMATION WHICH LINGUISTICS PROVIDES ON SENTENCE STRUCTURE' CAN AID THE TEACHER OF COMPOSITION. ALTHOUGH TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR DOES.NOT IMPROVE A STUDENT'S WRITING, CONSTITUENT GRAMMAR AND TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR, BY PRESENTING METHODS OF ANALYZING AND ORGANIZING SENTENCES, ENABLE THESTUDENT TO FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH THE BASIC FORMS AND ELEMENTSOF THE SENTENCE. THROUGH PRACTICE, A STUDENT'S "REPLACEMENT POTENTIAL" (THE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES HE HAS AVAILABLEFOR A GIVEN SLOT IN A SENTENCE) IS INCREASED, AND HE LEARNSTHE MANIPULATION AND GROUPING OF SENTENCE PARTS. AS HISOBJECTIVE APPRECIATION OF SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND ITSVARIATIONS GROWS, HE ACQUIRES A CONCEPT OF CONSTRUCTION WHICH CAN BEAPPLIED TO GROUPS OF SENTENCES AS WELL AS GROUPS OF WORDS, AND CONSEQUENTLY IS BETTER ABLE TO WRITE UNIFIED PARAGRAPHS AND PAPERS. THUS, ALTHOUGH LINGUISTICS PROPER IS NOT CAPABLE OF .DEALING WITH UNITS OF COMPOSITION LARGER THAN THE SENTENCE, THE APPROACHES DEVELOPED BY LINGUISTS FOR STUDYING SENTENCES CAN AID THE STUDENT OF COMPOSITION TO IMPROVE HIS WRITING SKILLS. (THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN "LANGUAGE, LINGUISTICS, AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS, PROCEEDINGS OF THE SPRING INSTITUTES,1963." CHAMPAIGN, ILL., NCTE, 1963.) (LH) LANGUAGE, LINGUESTICS, AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS r-4 CD Proceedings of the Spring Institutes, 1963 C\J of the 1.0 National Council of Teachers of English Bernard J. -
On the Irrelevance of Transformational Grammar to Second Language Pedagogy
ON THE IRRELEVANCE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR TO SECOND LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY John T. Lamendella The University of Michigan Many scholars view transformational grammar as an attempt to represent the structure of linguistic knowledge in the mind and seek to apply transformational descriptions of languages to the de- velopment of second language teaching materials. It will be claimed in this paper that it is a mistake to look to transformational gram- mar or any other theory of linguistic description to provide the theoretical basis for either second language pedagogy or a theory of language acquisition. One may well wish to describe the ab- stract or logical structure of a language by constructing a trans- formational grammar which generates the set of sentences identi- fied with that language. However, this attempt should not be con- fused with an attempt to understand the cognitive structures and processes involved in knowing or using a language. It is a cogni- tive theory of language within the field of psycholinguistics rather than a theory of linguistic description which should underlie lan- guage teaching materials. A great deal of effort has been expended in the attempt to demonstrate the potential contributions of the field of descriptive linguistics to the teaching of second languages and, since the theory of transformational grammar has become the dominant theory in the field of linguistics, it is not surprising that applied linguists have sought to apply transformational grammar to gain new in- sights into the teaching of second languages. It will be claimed in this paper that it is a mistake to look to transformational grammar or any other theory of linguistic description to provide the theoretical basis for either second language pedagogy or a theory of language acquisition. -
Perceptual Variation and Structuralism
NOUSˆ 54:2 (2020) 290–326 doi: 10.1111/nous.12245 Perceptual Variation and Structuralism JOHN MORRISON Barnard College, Columbia University Abstract I use an old challenge to motivate a new view. The old challenge is due to variation in our perceptions of secondary qualities. The challenge is to say whose percep- tions are accurate. The new view is about how we manage to perceive secondary qualities, and thus manage to perceive them accurately or inaccurately. I call it perceptual structuralism. I first introduce the challenge and point out drawbacks with traditional responses. I spend the rest of the paper motivating and defending a structuralist response. While I focus on color, both the challenge and the view generalize to the other secondary qualities. 1. Perceptual Variation Our perceptual experiences tell us that lemons are yellow and sour. It’s natural to infer that lemons really are yellow and sour. But perceptions vary, even among ordinary observers. Some perceive lemons as slightly greener and sweeter. This gives rise to a challenge that forces us to rethink the nature of perception and the objectivity of what we perceive. For concreteness, I’ll focus on the perceptions of two ordinary observers, Miriam and Aaron. I’ll also focus on their perceptions of a particular lemon’s color. These restrictions will make the challenge easier to understand and the responses easier to compare. But the challenge and responses are perfectly general. Toward the end of the paper I’ll return to sourness and the other secondary qualities. When Miriam and Aaron look at the same lemon, their perceptions differ. -
The Meanings of Structuralism : Considerations on Structures and Gestalten, with Particular Attention to the Masks of Levi-Strauss
The meanings of structuralism : considerations on structures and Gestalten, with particular attention to the masks of Levi-Strauss Sonesson, Göran Published in: Segni e comprensione 2012 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Sonesson, G. (2012). The meanings of structuralism : considerations on structures and Gestalten, with particular attention to the masks of Levi-Strauss. Segni e comprensione, XXVI(78), 84-101. Total number of authors: 1 General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply: Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Read more about Creative commons licenses: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 International RIVISTA TELEMATICA QUADRIMESTRALE - ANNO XXVI NUOVA SERIE - N. 78 – SETTEMBRE-DICEMBRE 2012 1 This Review is submitted to international peer review Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Segni e comprensione International Pubblicazione promossa nel 1987 dal Dipartimento di Filosofia e Scienze sociali dell’Università degli Studi di Lecce, oggi Università del Salento, con la collaborazione del “Centro Italiano di Ricerche fenomenologiche” con sede in Roma, diretto da Angela Ales Bello. -
Durkheim and Organizational Culture
IRLE IRLE WORKING PAPER #108-04 June 2004 Durkheim and Organizational Culture James R. Lincoln and Didier Guillot Cite as: James R. Lincoln and Didier Guillot. (2004). “Durkheim and Organizational Culture.” IRLE Working Paper No. 108-04. http://irle.berkeley.edu/workingpapers/108-04.pdf irle.berkeley.edu/workingpapers Durkheim and Organizational Culture James R. Lincoln Walter A. Haas School of Business University of California Berkeley, CA 94720 Didier Guillot INSEAD Singapore June , 2004 Prepared for inclusion in Marek Kocsynski, Randy Hodson, and Paul Edwards (editors): Social Theory at Work . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Durkheim and Organizational Culture “The degree of consensus over, and intensity of, cognitive orientations and regulative cultural codes among the members of a population is an inv erse function of the degree of structural differentiation among actors in this population and a positive, multiplicative function of their (a) rate of interpersonal interaction, (b) level of emotional arousal, and (c) rate of ritual performance. ” Durkheim’ s theory of culture as rendered axiomatically by Jonathan Turner (1990) Introduction This paper examines the significance of Emile Durkheim’s thought for organization theory , particular attention being given to the concept of organizational culture. We ar e not the first to take the project on —a number of scholars have usefully addressed the extent and relevance of this giant of Western social science for the study of organization and work. Even so, there is no denying that Durkheim’s name appears with vast ly less frequency in the literature on these topics than is true of Marx and W eber, sociology’ s other founding fathers . -
The Syntax–Semantics Interface in Systemic Functional Grammar: Halliday’S Interpretation of the Hjelmslevian Model of Stratification
PREPRINT NOTICE This is a PREPRINT of an article to be published in Journal of Pragmatics. Copyright © Elsevier 2011. For citation, please consult the published version. ↓ P U B L I S H E D Full reference: VERSION Taverniers, Miriam (2011) The syntax–semantics interface in Systemic Functional Grammar: Halliday’s interpretation of the Hjelmslevian model of stratification. Journal of Pragmatics 43(4): 1100–1126. DOI:10.1016/j.pragma.2010.09.003 F U R T H E R http://users.UGent.be/~mtaverni/ INFORMATION & C ONTACT [email protected] The syntax–semantics interface in Systemic Functional Grammar: Halliday’s interpretation of the Hjelmslevian model of stratification Miriam Taverniers (Ghent University) English Department Ghent University Rozier 44 9000 Gent Belgium [email protected] Phone: + 32 9 264 3789 Fax: + 32 9 264 4179 PREPRINT. Taverniers, Miriam (2011) The syntax–semantics interface in Systemic Functional Grammar: Halliday’s interpretation of the Hjelmslevian model of stratification. Journal of Pragmatics 43(4): 1100–1126. Abstract The aim of this article is to explore how exactly the idea of distinguishing different coding levels in language has been theorized in different stages of Hallidayan systemic functional grammar (SFG), focusing on its view of the syntax–semantics interface. This is done by juxtaposing the levels of the Hallidayan model and the various components of Hjelmslev’s model of stratification, on the basis of Halliday’s re-interpretation of Hjelmslev’s theory at various stages in the development of SFG. In this exploration, specific attention is paid to two important theoretical aspects of the design of Hjelmslev’s and Halliday’s models: (1) the different dimensions along which semiotic distinctions are made in the two models, i.e. -
Hjelmslev's Glossematics and Linguistic Realism
Workshop The Foundations of Linguistics – Languages as Abstract Objects 26. – 27. June 2015, Braunschweig University of Technology Predecessors: Hjelmslev’s Glossematics and Linguistic Realism Ellen Fricke & Martin Siefkes Chemnitz University of Technology [email protected] www.ellenfricke.de [email protected] www.siefkes.de Overview 1. Louis Hjelmslev 2. Hjelmslev‘s demands on a theory of language 3. Some important distinctions of glossematics 4. Hjelmslev and multimodal grammar Louis Hjelmslev Louis Hjelmslev (1899 – 1965) • Danish linguist • Co-founder of the Copenhagen school • Other members were: Viggo Brøndal (1887 – 1942), Hans Jørgen Uldall (1907 – 1957) • One of the most important theoreticians of structuralism Louis Hjelmslev (1899 – 1965) • Together with Uldall, he developed a theory of language called “glossematics” • An outline of Glossematics (1936) • Prolegomena to a theory of language (1963; Orig: Omkring sprogteoriens grundlæggelse, 1943) • Further development of Saussure’s analysis, explicating Saussure’s notions • Glosseme = smallest units of language: e.g. phonological and semantic features • not identical with Leonard Bloomfield’s “glossemes”, which corresponds to morphemes Hjelmslev’s demands on a theory of language Hjelmslev‘s basic assumptions 1) What makes something a language? 2) When is a language identical with itself in various manifestations? • In Prolegomena to a Theory of Language, Hjelmslev criticised earlier schools of linguistics that concentrated on language change (such as the Young Grammarians) • Hjelmslev argues against the “humanist tradition”, which claims that no general regularities can be found • Anti-descriptivist stance Demands on a linguistic theory • For every process, linguists should look for an underlying system; for fluctuations, they should search for underlying constancy (cf. -
Linguistic Determinism and Mutability: the Sapir-Whorf "Hypothesis" and Intercultural Communication
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 403 761 FL 024 384 AUTHOR van Troyer, Gene TITLE Linguistic Determinism and Mutability: The Sapir-Whorf "Hypothesis" and Intercultural Communication. PUB DATE Dec 94 NOTE 18p. PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142) Journal Articles (080) JOURNAL CIT JALT Journal; v16 n2 p163-78 Dec 1994 EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PCO1 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Foreign Countries; *Intercultural Communication; *Language Research; *Linguistic Theory; Research Methodology; Scientific Methodology IDENTIFIERS *Sapir (Edward); Whorf (Benjamin Lee); *Whorfian Hypothesis ABSTRACT The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, long considered a factor in intercultural communication, is discussed. Empirical studies that have tended to validate the hypothesis are reviewed, and the hypothesis is then considered from the standpoint of empirical and scientific research requirements. It is shown that the hypothesis has never been formally defined for testing, and therefore does not exist as a scientifically testable thesis. As a result, all studies that have attempted to interpret empirical data accorded to the hypothesis are either flawed or invalid because they have tested something other than the hypothesis. It is concluded that the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis exists only as a notion, and has no meaningful relation to intercultural communication. Includes an abstract in Japanese. Contains 22 references. (Author/MSE) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION AND CENTER (ERIC) DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL This document has been reproduced as HAS BE N GRANTEDBY ceived from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. -
CLAUDE LEVI-STRAUSS: the Man and His Works
University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Anthropologist Anthropology, Department of 1977 CLAUDE LEVI-STRAUSS: The Man and His Works Susan M. Voss University of Nebraska-Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro Part of the Anthropology Commons Voss, Susan M., "CLAUDE LEVI-STRAUSS: The Man and His Works" (1977). Nebraska Anthropologist. 145. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro/145 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Anthropology, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Anthropologist by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Published in THE NEBRASKA ANTHROPOLOGIST, Volume 3 (1977). Published by the Anthropology Student Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 21 / CLAUDE LEVI-STRAUSS: The Man and His Works by Susan M. Voss 'INTRODUCTION "Claude Levi-Strauss,I Professor of Social Anth- ropology at the College de France, is, by com mon consent, the most distinguished exponent ~f this particular academic trade to be found . ap.ywhere outside the English speaking world ... " (Leach 1970: 7) With this in mind, I am still wondering how I came to be embroiled in an attempt not only to understand the mul t:ifaceted theorizing of Levi-Strauss myself, but to interpret even a portion of this wide inventory to my colleagues. ' There is much (the maj ori ty, perhaps) of Claude Levi-Strauss which eludes me yet. To quote Edmund Leach again, rtThe outstanding characteristic of his writing, whether in French or in English, is that it is difficul tto unders tand; his sociological theories combine bafflingcoinplexity with overwhelm ing erudi tion"., (Leach 1970: 8) . -
Chapter 7 Linguistics As a Science of Structure Ryan M
Chapter 7 Linguistics as a science of structure Ryan M. Nefdt University of the Western Cape Generative linguistics has rapidly changed during the course of a relatively short period. This has caused many to question its scientific status as a realist scientific theory (Stokhof & van Lambalgen 2011; Lappin et al. 2000). In this chapter, I argue against this conclusion. Specifically, I claim that the mathematical foundations of the science present a different story below the surface. I agree with critics that due to the major shifts in theory over the past 80 years, linguistics is indeed opened up to the problem of pessimistic meta-induction or radical theory change. However, I further argue that a structural realist approach (Ladyman 1998; French 2006) can save the field from this problem and at the same time capture its structural nature. I discuss particular historical instances of theory change in generative grammar as evidence for this interpretation and finally attempt to extend it beyond the gener- ative tradition to encompass previous frameworks in linguistics. 1 Introduction The generativist revolution in linguistics started in the mid-1950s, inspired in large part by insights from mathematical logic and in particular proof theory. Since then, generative linguistics has become a dominant paradigm, with many connections to both the formal and natural sciences. At the centre of the newly established discipline was the syntactic or formal engine, the structures of which were revealed through modelling grammatical form. The generativist paradigm in linguistics initially relied heavily upon the proof-theoretic techniques intro- duced by Emil Post and other formal logicians to model the form language takes (Tomalin 2006; Pullum 2011; 2013).1 Yet despite these aforementioned formal be- ginnings, the generative theory of linguistics has changed its commitments quite 1Here my focus will largely be on the formal history of generative syntax but I will make some comments on other aspects of linguistics along the way. -
What, If Anything, Is a Darwinian Anthropology?
JONATHAN MARKS What, if anything, is a Darwinian anthropology? Not too many years ago, I was scanning the job advertisements in anthropology and stumbled upon one for a faculty post in a fairly distinguished department in California. The ad specified that they were looking for someone who ‘studied culture from an evolutionary perspective’. I was struck by that, because it seemed to me that the alternative would be a creationist perspective, and I had never heard of anyone in this century who did that. Obviously my initial reading was incorrect. That department specifically wanted someone with a particular methodological and ideo- logical orientation; ‘evolutionary perspective’ was there as a code for something else. It has fascinated me for a number of years that Darwin stands as a very powerful symbol in biology. On the one hand, he represents the progressive aspect of science in its perpetual struggle against the perceived oppressive forces of Christianity (Larson 1997); and on the other, he represents as well the prevailing stodgy and stultified scientific orthodoxy against which any new bold and original theory must cast itself (Gould 1980). Proponents of the neutral theory (King and Jukes 1969) or of punctuated equilibria (Eldredge 1985) represented themselves as Darwinists to the outside worlds, and as anti-Darwinists to the inside world. Thus, Darwinism can be both the new and improved ideology you should bring home today, and is also the superseded Brand X ideology. That is indeed a powerful metaphor, to represent something as well as its opposite. Curiously, nobody ever told me in my scientific training that scientific progress was somehow predicated on the development of powerful metaphors.