functionalism vs generativism vs ...

[Dick Hudson]

Guy Deutscher's query implies that there are only two positions:
functionalism or generativism. Those who align themselves with one of these
positions may like to think this is so, but it ain't. There's also
cognitivism (non-modular, but also not functionalist in the `discourse'
sense), and Labov's view (explicitly non-functional but not generativist in
the normal sense either), and ....

The binary game is very dangerous: if A and B are the only possibilities,
then arguments against A must count as evidence for B. If functionalism is
wrong, generativism must be right (or vice versa). But that conclusion is
only as safe as the assumption that there are no other options.

Let a thousand theories bloom - so that we can eliminate 999 of them.

Richard (= Dick) Hudson

Phonetics and Linguistics, University College London,
Gower Street, London WC1E  6BT.
+44(0)171 419 3152; fax +44(0)171 383 4108; http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick