History of Linguistics

Summary

This lesson on historical linguistics explores the evolution of the discipline from philosophical roots to modern linguistic theories. Key figures like Sir William Jones, who identified structural similarities among Indo-European languages, and Ferdinand de Saussure, who emphasized interrelatedness in language elements, are highlighted. The 19th-century interest in language change, inspired by Darwin's theories, set the stage for the Young Grammarians and later, Noam Chomsky's generative grammar, which revolutionized the understanding of language structure and creativity. The discussion also contrasts generative grammar with descriptive grammar, underscoring the advancements in linguistic theory over the past two centuries.

Takeaways

• 📚 The study of linguistics began to take shape in the late 18th century, marked by Sir William Jones's recognition of structural similarities among Indo-European languages.
• 🔍 1786 is regarded as the birth year of modern linguistics, highlighting the significance of comparative grammar in understanding language relationships.
• 🌍 Linguists in the 19th century were heavily influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, leading to the exploration of language evolution parallel to species evolution.
• 🛤️ Young grammarians in the late 19th century established that language changes occur regularly, proposing definite laws governing these changes.
• 🔗 Ferdinand de Saussure, known as the father of modern linguistics, emphasized the interconnection of language elements, likening it to a game of chess.
• 📏 The 20th century shifted focus from historical changes to the description of languages at specific points in time, moving towards structural analysis.
• 📖 Leonard Bloomfield contributed significantly to linguistic methodology, advocating for systematic and objective approaches to studying language.
• 🚀 Noam Chomsky's introduction of generative grammar in 1957 revolutionized the field, emphasizing the creativity inherent in language use.
• 🧩 Generative grammar allows linguists to explore the internalized rules that govern language, differing from purely descriptive approaches.
• 🌐 Chomsky's work highlighted language universals, suggesting that all languages share fundamental characteristics, challenging the notion of 'primitive' languages.

Q & A

What is the main focus of historical linguistics?

Historical linguistics primarily examines the evolution and changes in languages over time, investigating how languages relate to one another and the common sources from which they derive.

Who is considered to have marked the birth of modern linguistics?

Sir William Jones is often credited with marking the birth of modern linguistics when he presented a paper in 1786 highlighting the structural similarities among Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Celtic, and Germanic languages.

What significant idea did Sir William Jones propose?

Jones proposed that the languages he studied shared a common source, suggesting that they must have derived from a single ancestral language.

What were comparative grammars and why were they significant in the 19th century?

Comparative grammars were efforts to analyze and compare different linguistic forms across the Indo-European language family, and they were significant as they attempted to reconstruct a hypothetical ancestor known as Proto-Indo-European.

How did the publication of Darwin's 'Origin of Species' influence linguistics?

Darwin's theory of evolution inspired linguists to explore the evolution of language in a manner analogous to species, viewing language change as a natural and systematic process.

What did the Young Grammarians contribute to linguistic theory?

The Young Grammarians posited that language change is regular and follows specific laws, demonstrating that changes in sound were systematic rather than random.

What was Ferdinand de Saussure's impact on the field of linguistics?

Ferdinand de Saussure is considered the father of modern linguistics for emphasizing the interrelatedness of language elements, which laid the groundwork for structural linguistics.

What was the main difference between Bloomfield's and Chomsky's approaches to linguistics?

Bloomfield focused on describing languages as they were observed, while Chomsky introduced the concept of generative grammar, emphasizing the innate grammatical rules that individuals possess, allowing for the generation of new sentences.

What is generative grammar according to Chomsky?

Generative grammar is a set of rules or statements that specify which sequences of a language are possible, emphasizing the creativity of language use rather than just describing existing utterances.

Why are language universals significant in Chomsky's theory?

Language universals highlight the common properties shared by all human languages, suggesting that despite surface differences, there are fundamental similarities in how all humans process and use language.