Structure, Intentionality, Normativity and Linguistic Conventions

Abstract

Considerable part of Ladislav Tondl’s works is located on the border between semiotics, philosophy of language, logic and linguistics: they offer a nonreductive picture of linguistic communication comprising its structural, intentional, cognitive, normative and other parameters in their mutual relations. The author explores a way in which a similarly multidimensional account of communication and language (as its product) can be obtained as a result of a synthesis of three influential philosophical programs: Davidson’s theory of meaning, Grice’s intentional semantics and Lewis’ theory of convention. Special attention is paid to the role of normativity (or its marginalization) in these theories. The author defends normative definitions of speech acts (in terms of commitments imposed by them on speakers): from here he derives the ways of application of normative notions in various parts of (broadly understood) theory of meaning.

(Non-peer-reviewed essay on the occasion of Ladislav Tondl's 90th birthday.)