La problématique phonologique de Sapir

Abstract EN

Although it was often accused of ” raentalism ”, Sapir’s conception also contains some ” empiricism ”, which consists in classifying phonemes and their variations in a unique phonic plane and to make of the phonological system one that is contained within the phonetic system.

The ” mentalistic ”, or ’’psychological ” aspect, which owes nothing to psychology, is nothing but the expression of an intuitive knowledge made necessary by the weakness of empirical concepts.

Thus, empiricism and mentalism are two seemingly opposite attitudes which must be considered as bound together in Sapir’s phonological problematics.