The role of inferencing in diachronic syntax
Since Andersen (1973) inferencing has played an important role in theories of linguistic change, especially, but not exclusively, in generative ones. Most recently the notion abduction is accorded a central role in Roberts' theory of diachronic syntax (Roberts2006). According to this theory, parameter change is made possible by the abductive nature of first-language acquisition and since ``all the major kinds of syntactic change involve parameter change'' (Roberts 2006:121), the importance of abduction follows. The role of two other notions, deduction and induction is not nearly as central in theories of linguistic change, yet both clearly play a role in linguistic change, as they did for Andersen (1973).
In this talk I will discuss the role of abduction, deduction and induction in diachronic syntax taking on board a recent attack on the notion of abduction in historical linguistics by Guy Deutscher (2002).
References:
Andersen, Henning (1973). Abductive and deductive changes. Language 49(4): 765-793.
Deutscher, Guy (2002). On the misuse of the notion of `abduction' in linguistics. Journal of Linguistics 38: 469-485.
Roberts, Ian (2006). Diachronic Syntax. Oxford: Oxford University Press.