Data and Evidence in Linguistics
A Plausible Argumentation Model

The first book to comprehensively present the methodological problems associated with linguistic data and evidence.

András Kertész (Author), Csilla Rákosi (Author)

9781107009240, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 9 February 2012

312 pages, 12 b/w illus. 1 table
23.5 x 15.5 x 1.8 cm, 0.61 kg

The question of what types of data and evidence can be used is one of the most important topics in linguistics. This book is the first to comprehensively present the methodological problems associated with linguistic data and evidence. Its originality is twofold. First, the authors' approach accounts for a series of unexplained characteristics of linguistic theorising: the uncertainty and diversity of data, the role of evidence in the evaluation of hypotheses, and the problem solving strategies, as well as the emergence and resolution of inconsistencies. Second, the findings are obtained by the application of a new model of plausible argumentation which is also of relevance from a general argumentation theoretical point of view. All concepts and theses are systematically introduced and illustrated by a number of examples from different linguistic theories, and a detailed case-study section shows how the proposed model can be applied to specific linguistic problems.

1. Introduction
Part I. The State of the Art: 2. The problem (P)I
3. Historical background
4. The partial rejection of (SVLD) in the practice of object-scientific research
5. The partial rejection of (SVLD) in metascientific reflection
6. The solution to (P)I
Part II. The P-Model: 7. The problem (P)II
8. Historical background
9. Plausible inferences
10. Plausible argumentation
11. The solution to (P)II
Part III. Data and Evidence: 12. The problem (P)III
13. The concepts of 'datum' and 'evidence'
14. The solution to (P)III
Part IV. Application of the P-Model: A Case Study: 15. The problem (P)IV
16. A case study: a reconstruction of Gentner and Wolff (1997)
17. The solution to (P)IV
Part V. The Answers to the Open Questions: 18. The problem (P)V
19. The answers to (OQ1)–(OQ7)
20. The solution to (P)V
21. Summary: the solution to the main problem (MP).

Subject Areas: Computational linguistics [CFX], Grammar, syntax & morphology [CFK], Semantics, discourse analysis, etc [CFG], Psycholinguistics [CFD]