Linguistic relativity and language as epiphenomenon: two contradictory positions
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Hassler, Gerda [1]
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[1] University of Potsdam
University of Potsdam
Kreisfreie Stadt Potsdam, Alemania
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- Localización: Confluência: Revista do Instituto de Língua Portuguesa, ISSN-e 2317-4153, Nº. 55, 2018, págs. 82-98
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
The assumption of linguistics relativity and the definition of languages as epiphenomena are certainly known as two contradictory positions from the last century. But I will start my discussion of them in the period of their appearance and then use this as a basis to evaluate the heuristic value of these positions in present day linguistics. I will start with the definition of language as an epiphenomenon and then I will go on with the linguistic relativity.
The notion of ʽepiphenomenon’ is usually used to exclude certain aspects of a scientific object because they are considered to be deduced from others. In linguistics, restrictions of the research object were made, invoking the notion of ʽepiphenomenonʼ, which was partially done with a polemical attitude, and was always responded to polemically.
