Work

Which Terms are Subject to Division of Linguistic Labour?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: It is rather uncontroversial idea that there is a division of linguistic labour: laypeople rely on experts for the identification of meanings of some terms. But which terms are subject to this division? This paper demonstrates that the answers “natural kind terms” or “scientific terms” are too narrow and presents an alternative solution by appealing to inferentialist semantics. The main claim of this paper is that “specialist terms” are subject to division of linguistic labour and “specialist terms” are those terms for which certain type of asymmetries arise in the course of the game of giving and asking for reasons.

Source: Erkenntnis

DOI: 10.1007/s10670-025-01020-9

Author: Bartosz Kaluziński

Institution: Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

Language: English

Topic: Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics

Subfield: Philosophy

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,290

Funders: Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Narodowym Centrum Nauki