Generalization of scientific ideas in linguistics

Abstract

This article analyzes the principle of generalization of scientific ideas, different from previous teachings, putting forward a fundamentally new approach to the consideration of familiar phenomena. The accumulation of scientific knowledge inevitably leads to the need for their generalization, to the categorization of objects. It is recognized that generalization is a general scientific concept, a way of cognition. Different definitions of this logical device are given in relation to different sciences and a definition is formulated that is acceptable for characterizing the action of this logical device in linguistics. In linguistics, generalizing theories have been created at all times. Here are the theories that appeared in the 20th century and represent generalization at the level of form and content: the generative grammar of N. Chomsky, the linguistic theory "sense-text" (TST) of I.A. Melchuk, A.K. Zholkovsky, the theory of natural semantic metalanguage (ESM) by A. Vezhbitskaya, the theory of NLU - Natural Language Understanding, etc. These are significant, meaning-generating, milestone generalizations that provided a turn in linguistic science, the most revealing, recognized theories. Some dictionaries are also examples of generalization: A.A. Zaliznyak, syntactic dictionary by G.A. Zolotova, explanatory-combinatorial dictionary by Melchuk-Zholkovsky. Finally, generalizations can be at the presentation level of all languages. Thus, the advancement of the ideas of pluricentrism streamlined the description of imported languages that develop their variants in another territory. The article defines the fundamental ideas on which generalization is based. The analyzed material gives grounds for the conclusion that generalization creates a model that serves as the basis for new constructions.