Axiomatic functionalism is a highly distinctive and challenging approach in the European functionalist tradition, which has been developed over the last 50 years. It emphasises clarity and accuracy of theory and methods with philosophical awareness for the analysis of languages. Axiomatic Functionalism is even more relevant at a time when functionalism is widely adopted and speculative universalism is being refuted. This book gives a clear orientation in the Axiomatic Functionalist approach with a new introduction, recent previously unpublished work, the latest version of the theory, a reference bibliography, key previously published articles, and an assessment of the contribution of Axiomatic Functionalism. The book covers the key areas of theory, methods, grammar, phonology, and semantics. It provides clear perspectives on a wide range of fundamental and current issues in linguistics.

Contents: Ales Bican/Paul Rastall: Axiomatic Functionalism - History, philosophy and contributions to the approach - Jan W. F. Mulder: How real are linguistic entities? - Jan W. F. Mulder: Effective methodology and effective phonological description - Ales Bican: Distributional unit: Hypothesis and testing - Jan W. F. Mulder: An unorthodox view of the English verbal system - Paul Rastall: Realisational sequences in grammar - Sheena Gardner/Sándor G. J. Hervey: Structural sentence types - Sándor G. J. Hervey: Sentences and linguistic data - Sándor G. J. Hervey: Notions in the manipulation of non-denotational meaning in speech - Jan W. F. Mulder: Axiomatic Functionalism and reflections on key questions in linguistics - Paul Rastall: «Theory» in linguistics - Strengths and weaknesses in Axiomatic Functionalism - Jan W. F. Mulder/Sándor G. J. Hervey: Postulates for Axiomatic Functionalism - Ales Bican: Bibliography of Axiomatic Functionalism (Compiled by Ales Bican).