On certain consequences of the objectification of languages

A substantivist approach

Abstract

Linguists hope to converge on a universal theoretical and descriptive framework applicable to all languages. Its scientific gaze theoretically places every language and every speech commu-nity under objective, descriptive scrutiny. The practical application of these principles has led to difficulties. We argue in this paper that these difficulties have to do with certain unresolved aspects of the relation between the ‘science’ of linguistics and the ‘cultural practice’ of Traditional Lexicography and Grammar.