| | Ecological
thinking has in recent years come a long way from its origins in biology, to become
a new paradigm within many disciplines. Its approach is holistic, and focuses
on dynamic, interactive systems and the interrelationships between the object
of study and its context. The author demonstrates how adopting such an ecological
perspective fundamentally changes our understanding of human language, and calls
into question a number of assumptions: that language is rule-governed, for example,
or that it represents a distinctive form of knowledge. From an ecological point
of view, language is inseparable from all expressions of human sociality, such
as communication, culture, and community. Arising from this perspective are key
concepts, such as patterning, predictability, and creativity, which the author
suggests as the basis of a very different approach to linguistics. Linguists,
along with everyone interested in the many facets of meaningful human behaviour,
will find the ideas presented here both stimulating and challenging. Furthermore,
an ecological framework supersedes the distinction between theoretical and applied
linguistics, and the book is specifically addressed to language practitioners
of all kinds, for whom an ecological view is particularly relevant. |
