Mythomania? Methods and morals from ‘The Myth of Language Universals’

This paper takes heed of The Myth of Language Universals’ (Evans and Levinson, 2009) warning that tenets can leave theoreticians “partially immunized against … proper consideration” and applies this admonition to the article itself. From an extremely modest focus of just one sentence and its subsequent defence, the paper reveals 27 failings of “proper consideration”, rising to 34 if given slightly wider focus. This high number covers a range of defects (from miscitation to errors in logic and misrepresentation of data, debates and theories) and affects material written at different times, on different themes, and in different organs. The paper urges, in consequence, that the field reconsider whether The Myth of Language Universals should be considered adequately to have argued its case.