1. Words as Types and Words as
Tokens
Token is instance or individual occurrence of
a type.
2. (1) Mary goes to Edinburgh next week and
she intends going to Washington next
month.
The same word of the sentence are
distinct tokens of a single types.
3. The type-token distinction is relevant to the
notion “word” in this way. Sentences may be
said to be composed of word-tokens, but it is
clearly not word-tokens that are listed in
dictionaries.
It would be absurd to suggest that each
occurrence of the word next in sentence merits a
separate dictionary entry.
4. The term word would be ambiguous
between a ‘type’ interpretation and a ‘token’
interpretation; but the ambiguity would be just
the same as is exhibited by many other terms not
specifically related to language.
For example : tune
a tune you heard this morning may be “the
same” as one you heard yesterday.
5. The distinction between a type and
its tokens is an ontological one between a
general sort of thing and its particular
concrete instances.
Types are generally said to be abstract and
unique; tokens are concrete particulars.
6. The distinction between a type and
its tokens is an ontological one between a
general sort of thing and its particular
concrete instances.
Types are generally said to be abstract and
unique; tokens are concrete particulars.
