Modelling Language
This addresses the role of language models in linguistics, proposing a shift in perspective for researchers in the field.
The paper argues that large language models can serve as scientific models of language as an external, social entity, defending this position against criticisms that they provide no linguistic insight.
This paper argues that large language models have a valuable scientific role to play in serving as scientific models of a language. Linguistic study should not only be concerned with the cognitive processes behind linguistic competence, but also with language understood as an external, social entity. Once this is recognized, the value of large language models as scientific models becomes clear. This paper defends this position against a number of arguments to the effect that language models provide no linguistic insight. It also draws upon recent work in philosophy of science to show how large language models could serve as scientific models.