Traditional grammars classify words according to generic syntactic functions or morphological characteristics. For teaching humans and for descriptive linguistics this seemed sufficient. The advent of computers has changed the situation. Since machines are devoid of experiential knowledge, they need a more explicit grammar to handle natural language. Correlational Grammar is an attempt in that direction. The paper describes parts of correlational syntax and shows how a highly differentiated syntax can be used to establish word classes for which an intensional semantic definition can then be found. It exemplifies this approach in two areas of grammar: predicative adjectives and transitive verbs. The classification serves to eliminate ambiguity and spurious computer interpretations of natural language sentences.

Key words: language, semiotics

The paper discusses the impact of cybernetic ideas upon behavioural and cognitive studies in general but the main thesis is developed in the context of human psychology. An effort is made to trace the influence of cybernetics upon the development of psychological theories, experimental techniques and methods for modelling mental and behavioural activity. Particular emphasis is placed upon the key concept of a “goal directed” system. It is argued that this concept becomes differentiated to yield two specialised forms of system, namely “taciturn systems” and “language oriented systems”; of these, the latter are peculiarly important in connection with studies of man or attempts to control, teach, or otherwise influence human beings. As it stands, the notion of “goal directed” system is unable to adumbrate the phenomena of evolutionary development {as in open ended concept learning) and conscious experience, Problems entailing both types of phenomena are ubiquitous in the human domain and the paper considers several ways in which the connotation of goal directedness can be enlarged sufficiently to render it useful in these areas.