Abstract
We differentiate between language-as-system, as exemplified by such constructs as “English,” or “Mandarin,'” and languaging, understood as a rich set of affiliative and coordinative behaviours that involve speech. The former is the more familiar term, and has been constructed in a specific manner that is inextricably bound to literacy, writing and normative social practices. But we argue that only the latter can inform us about what it was that happened to the human species to so differentiate us from other primates. To draw out this distinction, we lean on the contrast between emic and etic approaches, introduced by Ken Pike and rooted in the distinction between phonology and phonetics. We argue that an etic approach to speech can reveal forms of languaging that are not addressed by language-as-system. Joint speech is put forward as an important form of languaging that can be thematised for study only if the emic/etic distinction is taken seriously. Consequences for the self-understanding of phonetics as a discipline are cautiously put forward.
Highlights
The relationship between phonetics and phonology has given rise to a broader distinction that found enthusiastic uptake in anthropology and in the social sciences more broadly
We will elaborate upon some important examples of languaging that are neglected by overzealous use of the term “language.” Our overall goal is to contribute to the self-understanding of the field of phonetics in light of this distinction
We would argue, who is on the front line here, playing a role that enables all other forms of spoken language analysis, and, we suggest, the analysis of other aspects of languaging, to which we will turn after a brief exercise in historical calibration
Summary
The relationship between phonetics and phonology has given rise to a broader distinction that found enthusiastic uptake in anthropology and in the social sciences more broadly. In this article we approach this by drawing a distinction between language-as-system and languaging-as-activity, and suggest that these two very different framings address two very different topics, each important, but in different ways While the former is necessary to understand contemporary forms of communication and social order, the latter is needed if we are to understand what happened to our species that differentiated us so dramatically from other primates. In light of this distinction, the relation between phonetics and other disciplines may warrant fresh appraisal, and we will suggest that phonetics, as a discipline, might see itself as well-positioned to contribute to our understanding of other domains of human social organization beyond language, narrowly conceived
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