In Search of Linguistic Terminology. System in Times of Symbol or Symbol for the Sake of System?

Abstract

In the article we claim that scientific terminology should keep abreast of the times it serves. We identify the current intellectual climate as post-modernistic in the sense that general principles cannot be evaluated out of the spatiotemporal context in which they were initially proposed. Against that background the terminology of autonomous linguistics must be said to be no match for the present spirit of the times, while the terminology of non-autonomous linguistics lacks at times precision and common sense.

Keywords

• terminology; definition; metaphor; symbol; system