A method of discourse analysis is outlined which shows up the functional relations between discourse-as product and discourse as process. No previous proposal exists to our knowledge in which this interrelation has been accomplished successfully, from the requirements of the behavioristic tradition. Skinner s contribution was specifically to prove that discourse production is behaviorally lawful. He outlined a powerful theory that distinguishes three basic behavioral building blocks called mands , tacts , and autoclitics. Mands are verbal behaviors in response to an internal need and under the control of the individual s cumulative history of reinforcement.
Tacts are verbal behaviors that are under the control of external or internal sensory awareness.
This occurs because listeners are strongly affected by the composition of the discourse they are exposed to. A successful discourse technology, as foreseen by Skinner, would allow the practitioner to know enough about the organization of discourse and its functional properties to be effective in using discourse as a change agent. Still, there is clearly a need for advancing the state of our theory of the functional analysis of discourse so as to allow for a more specific application of the behaviorist s general idea of mands, tacts, and autoclitics. It will be seen that the present proposal by passes this entire controversy, and merely goes on from where Skinner left off. No doubt there will be many in the cognitive linguistic camp who would relish to retrace the errors of Chomsky s arguments in the light of this proposal.