Concerning the scope of normativity

: Esa Itkonen

: Aleksi Mäkilähde, Ville Leppänen, Esa Itkonen

Publisher: JOHN BENJAMINS B V PUBL, PO BOX 36224 ,, 1020 AMSTERDAM ME, NETHERLANDS

: 2019

: Studies in Language Companion Series

: Normativity in Language and Linguistics

: NORMATIVITY IN LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS

: STUD LANG C

: Studies in Language Companion Series,

: 209

: 29

: 67

: 39

: 978-9-02-720399-1

: 978-9-02-726216-5

: 0165-7763

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.209.02itk

Wherever a mistake can be made, there is a corresponding norm. Normativity is divided into correctness and rationality. These two dimensions are independent of each other, as shown by the fact that rational actions can be performed by speaking incorrectly, and irrational actions can be performed by speaking correctly. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the scope of both aspects of normativity. The main focus is on the pervasiveness of normativity in linguistics, exemplified here in particular through linguistic semantics and the use of explanations in the field of `causal' linguistics (e.g. psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, diachronic linguistics). In addition, it is shown that normativity permeates such broader areas as scientific activity in general as well as our everyday lives.