This volume is a representative collection of contributions to the science of language by scholars from eight
European countries. In fact, the volume succeeds in uniting scholars from East and West Europe in their endeavour
to uncover basic language processes. The book stands in close relations to a research project on "Word Length
(Fequencies) in Slavic Language Texts" (P 15485), headed by the editor of the book, and financially supperted by
the Austrian Research Fund (FWF) from 2002 - 2005.
Thematically, the volume is characterized by the ambition to pursue scientific approaches to language, in general,
and to word length studies, in particular. Here, word length studies have a dual function: first, serving as an
illustrative example of the favored quantitative approach, and second, as a central topic within a synergetic
approach to language. These theoretical foundations and implications are discussed in detail, in the introduction to
the volume ("The Language of Sciences in Light of the Science of Language"), where methodological parallels
between cultural and natural sciences are discussed. The introductory survey on the "History and Methodology of
Word Length Studies" is unique in broad originality, and it offers additional detailed insight into the volumes
topic.
The majority of contributions is primarily relevant for various fields of linguistics, mainly from quantitative
linguistics. Particular relevance can be expected for scholars interested in Slavic languages: the pronounced accent
on Slavic languages is related to the fact that the volume is in close relation to the editors ongoing research project
(see above), on the one hand, and to the fact that the editor has put particular emphasis on an overall European
perspective, on the other.
The articles are from renowned scholars in the related fields, and they make it transparent how much an
interdisciplinary co-operation between researchers (a) from linguistics and text science, (b) from the computer and
information sciences, and (c) from mathematics and statistics, if one wants to archieve a scientifically based theory
of language. In this respect, the volume is an unique collection of articles, attempting not only to unite scholars
studying language from one perspective or another, but also to interest scholars from the cultural as well as from
the natural sciences.
All articles are written in English; the volume thus guarentees a broad acceptability in the scholary world.