The author presents this monograph as essentially a "prise de position" with regard to certain of the central questions in current debates over the nature of human linguistic systems and techniques of analyzing and describing them. While it is presumed that the reader is already acquainted with the issues being debated in linguistics in the 1960's, a short glossary of the most important terms is appended. Chapters are: (1) Non-Linguistic Premises, (2) The "Life-Cycle" of the Idiolect, (3) Language in Society, (4) The Characteristics of Language Structure, (5) The Description of Linguistic Structure, (6) Language Changes--But How?, (7) Language Changes--But Why?, (8) Linguistics and Other Disciplines, and (9) The Function of Linguistics. A brief conclusion and bibliography (in addition to the glossary) conclude the text. (AMM)