Lexical Contextualism: The Abélard Syndrome

The term contextualism is used in linguistics to refer to approaches that are based on the following credo: linguistic entities cannot be considered outside contexts of use as it is only in context that they do make sense. Contextualism has always existed (at least, since antiquity) and it does not correspond to a uniform approach to language studies. It is however striking that much resonance is given in lexical studies to what could be called lexical contextualism, a radical conception by which words do not have meaning of their own, and by which only contexts “give meanings” to words. This position has many non-trivial implications on lexicographic methodologies, language teaching strategies, and even on the very acceptance of core notions such as polysemy. The goal of this paper is twofold. First, it characterizes lexical contextualism: the axioms it is based on and its implications on lexical studies. Second, it tries to provide explanations for why lexical contextualism can appeal to many in their attempt to account for how words convey meanings.