The dynamics of a usage-based approach

This contribution seeks to connect usage based linguistics with dynamic systems theory, in particular as applied by Edelman (1989) and Thelen and Smith (1994). Edelman’s dynamic biological system starts off with a few simple sub-systems (perception, action, value), all of which interacting with each other over time, that give rise to perceptual categorization and higher order thinking and behavior through interaction with other humans and the environment. As Thelen and Smith argue, humans may be genetically predisposed to certain behavior, but they can develop only through actual experience. If we accept such a dynamic view of development, the idea of predetermined development in step-like stages makes no sense. There are stages in that some sub-systems will have to develop and be coordinated before those of a higher level can be reached (also called a precursor relation), but the pathway is not neatly paved for the child: the child needs to learn through his own experience with lots of ups and downs and development is individually owned. Like other complex adaptive systems, a human infant is made up of numerous interconnected subsystems at different levels, which have a tendency to self-organize and therefore will show nonlinear patterns of development. The benefit of taking a dynamic perspective on human development is that naturally feeds into a usage based view of language development: human cognition and experience are intricately related with the way language has emerged and used