The Language Myth Explained

The Language Myth: Why Language Is Not an Instinct
Author:Vyvyan Evans
Language:English
Genre:Popular science
Published:2014
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Isbn:978-1107619753
Followed By:The Crucible of Language

The Language Myth is a 2014 book by Vyvyan Evans, written for a general audience. It is a direct rebuttal of Steven Pinker's 1994 book The Language Instinct. Evans argues against Noam Chomsky's claim that all human languages provide evidence for an underlying Universal Grammar. Evans posits, instead, a language-as-use thesis[1] [2] to account for the nature of language, how it is learned and how it evolves.

Reception

The Language Myth caused considerable controversy upon publication among supporters of Chomskyan universal grammar. David Adger argued that the "attack on generative linguistics misrepresents the field".[3] Another vocal critic, Norbert Hornstein attacked the book for presenting caricatures of Chomskyan generative grammar and of providing inadequate arguments to support its main claims.[4] Others have attacked the book for its polemical style and what are claimed to be Evans' misunderstandings of Universal Grammar.[5]

Evans responded by claiming that it is exactly critics of the book who misunderstand.[6] He argues that his critics do not provide a coherent argument that is falsifiable as they posit Universal Grammar as a theoretical axiom,[7] which does not require proof or evidence to support it.[8] He also argues that the Universal Grammar perspectives makes a claim that is biological rather than linguistic in nature,[9] and hence one that cannot be substantiated on the basis of linguistic evidence.[10] [11]

Controversy

In 2016, Language, the flagship academic journal of the Linguistic Society of America published a series of "Alternative (Re)views"[12] by six leading linguists, all addressing The Language Myth. Evans was originally invited to contribute a response to those articles. However, his submission was rejected by the journal's review editor.[13] Evans wrote an open-letter to the linguistics community claiming that he was being censored.[14]

Notes and References

  1. News: Anderson . Alun . Why language is neither an instinct nor innate . New Scientist . 15 October 2014 .
  2. News: The Language Myth: Why Language Is Not an Instinct, by Vyvyan Evans . Times Higher Education (THE) . 13 November 2014 . subscription .
  3. Adger . David . Mythical myths: Comments on Vyvyan Evans' The Language Myth . Lingua . April 2015 . 158 . 76–80 . 10.1016/j.lingua.2015.02.006 .
  4. Web site: Norbert. 2015-05-06. Faculty of Language: My (HOPEFULLY) last ever post on Vyvyan Evans and his endless dodging of the central issues. 2021-11-18. Faculty of Language.
  5. Allott . Nicholas . Rey . Georges . The many errors of Vyvyan Evans' The Language Myth . The Linguistic Review . 28 January 2017 . 34 . 3 . 1–20 . 10.1515/tlr-2017-0011 . 10852/65338 . 171572986 . free .
  6. Web site: 188: The Language Myth (featuring Vyvyan Evans) . Talk the Talk. 2021-11-18. en-AU.
  7. News: Evans . Vyvyan . The Shape-Shifting Malleability of 'Universals' in UG . Psychology Today . 4 January 2015 .
  8. News: Evans . Vyvyan . Why Only Us: The language paradox . New Scientist . 24 February 2016 .
  9. Behme . Christina . Evans . Vyvyan . Leaving the myth behind: A reply to . Lingua . July 2015 . 162 . 149–159 . 10.1016/j.lingua.2015.05.004 .
  10. News: Evans . Vyvyan . The Structure of Scientific Revolutions . Psychology Today . 20 April 2015 .
  11. News: Evans . Vyvyan . Joining the Dodo . Psychology Today . 20 July 2015 .
    • Ackerman . Farrell . Malouf . Robert . Beyond caricatures: Commentary on Evans 2014 . Language . 2016 . 92 . 1 . 189–194 . 10.1353/lan.2016.0008 . 147369677 . .
    • Berent . Iris . Evans's (2014) modularity myths: A mental architecture digest . Language . 2016 . 92 . 1 . 195–197 . 10.1353/lan.2016.0012 . 146864404 . .
    • Deen . Kamil Ud . Myths, magic, and poorly drawn battle lines: Commentary on Evans 2014 . Language . 2016 . 92 . 1 . 197–200 . 10.1353/lan.2016.0015 . 147307297 . .
    • Goldberg . Adele E. . Another look at the universal grammar hypothesis: Commentary on Evans 2014 . Language . 2016 . 92 . 1 . 200–203 . 10.1353/lan.2016.0018 . 147096248 . .
    • Hinzen . Wolfram . Is our mental grammar just a set of constructions?: Commentary on Evans 2014 . Language . 2016 . 92 . 1 . 203–207 . 10.1353/lan.2016.0021 . 10230/42475 . 146874829 . . free .
    • Wijnen . Frank . Not compelling: Commentary on Evans 2014 . Language . 2016 . 92 . 1 . 207–209 . 10.1353/lan.2016.0003 . 1874/339379 . 147305487 . . free .
  13. Web site: The Language Myth.
  14. Web site: The Language Myth.

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