The science of language1

The study of language is currently fractionated. Theoretical linguistics has largely ignored advances in psycholinguistics, which in turn remains largely unconstrained by advances in neurolinguistics. Moreover, all of these fields generally work in isolation from the study of other cognitive functions. This fractionation has resulted in an enormous loss of useful information, seriously impeding progress in the study of language. To achieve a fully coherent explanation of the representational, processing and biological bases of language, a true science of language will consider and integrate theories and methods from all disciplines of the mind and brain. Here we explore in some detail the utility of this approach in the study of the linguistic distinction between storage and computation, and demonstrate its effectiveness not only in elucidating previously unresolved problems, but also in generating new approaches and insights in the study of language.