What would it take for us to abandon Construction Grammar?
Falsifiability, confirmation bias and the future of the constructionist enterprise
One of the hallmarks of scientific theories is their falsifiability, i.e. the fact that they make predictions that
can objectively be proven wrong. Thus, it is paramount that researchers, including linguists, are able to state what kind of
evidence would lead them to abandon their scientific theory. Yet, researchers just like all other human beings are susceptible to
confirmation bias, i.e. the fact that they only seek evidence that supports their existing views. In this squib, I will raise the
question whether Construction Grammar can become a falsifiable theory.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Constructions all the way?
- 3.The constructional theory of complexity
- 4.Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Note
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References