The Phonological Problems of Sapir

Abstract

Although it was often accused of mentalism , Sapir4s conception also contains some empiricism , which consists in classifying phonemes and their variations in a unique phonic plane and to make of the phonological system one that is contained within the phonetic system.

The mentalistic , or psychological aspect which owes nothing to  psychology, is nothing but the expression of an intuitive knowledge made necessary by the weakness of empirical concepts.

Thus, empiricism and mentalism are two seemingly opposite attitudes which must be considered as a bound together in Sapir's phonological problematics