Logic and Language

Abstract

With a viable conception of linguistic competence in hand, the next question to be dealt with is: how can we approach the relation of linguistic competence to logic? We use statements to express inferences. We can say ‘John goes to bed if he is tired, and John is tired; so he goes to bed’. We also distinguish between valid inferences and invalid inferences. Now, it seems that what makes such statements correct uses of language somehow depends on whether the inferences they express are valid or not. That is, however, a moot point. Are logical mistakes linguistic mistakes?