Towards an integrational approach in linguistics

Integrationism has had a rather chequered history in post-Saussurean linguistics. This paper chronicles some of its manifestations and argues, to put it paradoxically, that crossing the dividing lines in the well-known dichotomies, langue vs. parole, synchrony vs. diachrony, internal linguistics vs. external linguistics, etc., does not amount to a methodological transgression. A substantial part of the discussion also bears on the issue of what counts as an adequate explanation. The aim of this study is to lend support to the view that given the complexity of language, both internally and in its relation to cognitive and social systems, truly explanatory adequacy is achievable only by applying an integrational approach.