ABSTRACT
For the integrationist, the possibilities and the limits of human communication, both in general and in any given instance, are governed by three kinds of factor: biomechanical, circumstantial and macrosocial. The ranking order of the three infrastructural factors is an order of presupposition. For every communication process, it holds that it presupposes some biomechanical capacity or capacities on the part of the participants and the fulfilment of certain circumstantial conditions. Macrosocial factors are seen as relating to practices established in the community or some group within the community, not as practices the participants are currently, actively engaged in establishing. Circumstantial factors pertain to the fitting together of within a particular set of circumstances in ways which make sense to the participants involved. Linguistic signs are contextualized products of the integration of various activities by individuals in particular communication situations.
