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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
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Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

Communication and grammar: A synthesis.

Thom Scott-Phillips1

  • 1Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University.

Psychological Review
|February 18, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synthesizing communication and grammar theories reveals language as a coordination problem. Grammars, as networks of "constructions," simplify this coordination, offering new insights into language learning and evolution.

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Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Linguistics
  • Cognitive Science
  • Philosophy of Language

Background:

  • Language is central to human culture and society, possessing unique properties like grammatical structure.
  • A significant gap exists in synthesizing our understanding of communication and grammar.
  • Synthesizing knowledge across domains can lead to deeper insights and novel perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To bridge the gap between contextualist theories of communication and constructionist grammar.
  • To present a cohesive picture of linguistic communication by integrating these two influential frameworks.
  • To offer fresh perspectives on classical issues in the language sciences.

Main Methods:

  • The study proposes a synthesis of contextualist communication theories and constructionist grammar.
  • It frames linguistic communication as a coordination problem related to speakers' informative intentions.
  • Grammars are conceptualized as networks of microconventions ('constructions') facilitating this coordination.

Main Results:

  • The integration of contextualist and constructionist approaches provides a unified and clear picture of linguistic communication.
  • Grammars, understood as networks of constructions, significantly ease the coordination problem in communication.
  • This synthesis offers new perspectives on literal meaning, language acquisition, and language evolution.

Conclusions:

  • The synthesis of communication and grammar theories offers a powerful framework for understanding language.
  • Constructions play a crucial role in enabling efficient linguistic coordination.
  • This integrated view has implications for understanding language learning, evolution, and meaning.