On how to Define Anticipation in the Verbal Flow

Few studies in French concern anticipation in language, and much of this research draws on computing and its algorithms which are based on the vocabulary of linguistics, using terms such as semantics and grammar. This raises a major problem, however, which is bound to the notion of anticipation, namely that of recursion (the role of the subject's linguistic competence and memory). These two interrelated functions of anticipation and recursion contribute to constructing sequences. However, while we can legitimately speak about sequences and concatenation in computing, this is not possible with respect to language, because language is based on a continuum, a combinatorial structure that is constantly evolving. De facto, language and its production rely on a dynamic and complex cognitive operation, anchored in space, time and the subject's knowledge: the speaking subject has to constantly adapt to this ever-changing space, time and knowledge in the continuous information flow.