The Synchronic Fallacy: Historical Investigations with a Theory of History

The scientifc - methodological and cognitive - fallacies of modern synchronic linguistics are demonstrated. Modern synchronic linguists have reified change and since no such linguist has ever seen - sensed - a change, it is suggested to abandon the word change and replace it with existence, to exist, in order to underline the cognitive basis of man's (comprehension of) existence. A theory of history (existence) is set up on the basis of the traditional dualistic sign function, and the traditional sound-law concept and sound development are reinterpreted in terms of the theory's system of definitions. Historical linguistics ('change') is not dependent on an arbitrary synchronic theory. The two language universals polysemy and synonymy are reinterpreted and defined in accordance with the advanced definitions. Louis Hjelmslev's glossematic theory is the general horizon of the argument and is criticized for being based on a dated metaphysics. Two epistemological principles are introduced, The Phenomenal Error and The Critico-Philological Method.

Conclusion: Historical linguistics is an autonomous scientific discipline.