Functionalism vs. formalism
Table of contents
The functionalism vs. formalism debate in language research involves a basic opposition between two incompatible views on the nature of linguistic research (methodologically), and on the nature of language (theoretically). The theoretical and methodological dimensions are strictly speaking separable, but in actual practice they are closely intertwined (that is, one will rarely find a theoretical formalist who accepts a functionalist methodology, and vice versa). It will thus not always be possible to separate them in the following.
References
Brugmann, K.
1918 Verschiedenheiten der Satzgestaltung nach Massgabe der seelischen Grundfunktionen in den indogermanischen Sprachen. Teubner. BoP
Chomsky, N.
Firth, J.R.
Greenberg, J.
Halliday, M.A.K.
Harman, G.H.
Hymes, D.
1962 The ethnography of speaking. In J.A. Fishman (ed.) 1968 Readings in the sociology of language: 99–138. Mouton. BoP
Jakobson, R.
Labov, W.
1987 The overestimation of functionalism. In R. Dirven & V. Fried (eds.) Functionalism in linguistics: 311–332. John Benjamins. BoP
Lakoff, G.
Langacker, R.
Leuninger, H.
1977 Bestimmt die kommunikative Funktion von Äusserungen ihre Struktur? Papiere zur Linguistik 13/14: 143–167. BoP
Newmeyer, F.
Nuyts, J.
Wright, L.