On the non-necessity of levels in phonology, grammar and ‘abstract semantics’

This paper argues that the abstract levels which are typically recognised in linguistics -- whether within phonology (e.g. the levels of distinctive features, phonemics/phonematics, and phonotactics), grammar (e.g. morphology and syntax), or 'abstract semantics' -- are unnecessary. Although such levels correspond to an intuitively plausible model of natural languages, even natural languages are not fully constructed in the way these levels suggest, while other semiotic systems may be organisationally extremely different from the situation implied by these levels. In order to provide elegant (simple) and intuitively reasonable accounts of the relevant facts of language linguistic theories need to be significantly modified. 'Translating' into the specific technical terms of extended axiomatic functionnalism, the theory which is the focus of this paper, this means that the levels of ontidics (cenidics/phonidics, logidics/lexidics, delidics), ontematics (cenematics/phonematics, logematics/lexematics, delematics), and ontotactics (cenotactics/phonotactics, logotactics/lexotactics, delotactics) which are currently recognised in the system ontology of the theory are unnecessary. The entire theory of extended axiomatic functionalism, as well as the descriptions which it yields, can be simplified and made more coherent by removing these as separate theoretical levels, and recognising that their proper significance is as generalizing labels for describing how some kinds of semiotic systems -- and particularly natural languages -- are at least partially organised.