Psycholinguistics: Aspects and paradigms

Journal/Book: Z Psychol. 2000; 208: Im Weiher 10, D-69121 Heidelberg, Germany. Johann Ambrosius Barth Verlag. 110-128.

Abstract: The state of psycholinguistics at the end of the century is not satisfying. One main reason is the dilemma of completeness and consistence: Language has such a great variety of facets that on the one hand one can either reconstruct it with a consistent theory, hereby reducing the richness of the topic. Or on the other hand, if one wants to consider sufficingly the variety of facets, a consistent theory has to be abandoned. In the european tradition (e.g. Wilhelm Wundt, Karl Buhler and Hans Hormann) the most possible complete scope for language was intended at the expense of theoretical consistence. In the anglo-saxon Post-Chomsky-Paradigm ruling at present, satisfying theoretical consistence is purchased by utmost impoverishment in topics. The dilemma of completeness and consistence is especially shown if psycholinguists try to consider both, the mental operations of speech production and speech reception as well as the use of language for communication. It will be argued how the processual as well as the communicative character of language can be taken into consideration at the same time.

Note: Article Herrmann T, Univ Mannheim, Ehrenhof Ost, D-68131 Mannheim, GERMANY

Keyword(s): psycholinguistics; speech production; speech reception; communication

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