Universal History of Linguistics

Universal History of Linguistics
Title Universal History of Linguistics PDF eBook
Author Esa Itkonen
Publisher John Benjamins Publishing
Pages 379
Release 1991-01-01
Genre Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN 9027245525

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This wide-ranging book presents the linguistic achievements of four major cultures to readers presumably conversant with modern theoretical linguistics. The chapter on India discusses in detail Pan?ini's (c. 400 B.C.) grammar Ast-adhy-ay-i as well as the work of his commentators Katyayana, Patanjali, and Bhartr?hari. In the Chinese tradition, the Confucian doctrine of the Rectification of Names' is singled out for treatment. Arabic linguistics is represented by Sibawaihi's (d. 793) grammar al-Kitab, in particular its syntax, as well as the subsequent commentary tradition. The chapter on Europe, which is the most comprehensive of the four, covers the time span from antiquity to the 20th century; special attention is devoted to the contributions of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, Varro, Apollonius Dyscolus, and the Modistae. The achievements of the cultures in linguistics are treated throughout from a deliberately value-laden point of view. The achievements of Western antiquity and the Middle Ages are shown to be much more than the average linguist is inclined to believe. Even more importantly, it is shown that the Indian and the Arab traditions have been superior to the European tradition at least until the 20th century. The fact that a linguistic theory created some 2,400 years ago is fully as adequate as our best theories today must have far-reaching implications for the notion of 'scientific progress'. More precisely, it proves necessary to distinguish between 'progress in the human sciences' and 'progress in the natural sciences'. These issues, which pertain to the general philosophy of science, are treated in the final chapter of the book.

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Linguistics

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Linguistics
Title The Oxford Handbook of the History of Linguistics PDF eBook
Author Keith Allan
Publisher Oxford University Press, USA
Pages 945
Release 2013-03-28
Genre Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN 0199585849

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Leading scholars examine the history of linguistics from ancient origins to the present. They consider every aspect of the field from language origins to neurolinguistics, explore the linguistic traditions in different parts of the world, examine how work in linguistics has influenced other fields, and look at how it has been practically applied

Empires of the Word

Empires of the Word
Title Empires of the Word PDF eBook
Author Nicholas Ostler
Publisher Harper Collins
Pages 541
Release 2011-03-22
Genre Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN 0062047353

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A “monumental” account of the rise and fall of languages, with “many fresh insights, useful historical anecdotes, and charming linguistic oddities” (Chicago Tribune). Nicholas Ostler's Empires of the Word is the first history of the world’s great tongues, gloriously celebrating the wonder of words that bind communities together and make possible both the living of a common history and the telling of it. From the uncanny resilience of Chinese through twenty centuries of invasions to the engaging self-regard of Greek to the struggles that gave birth to the languages of modern Europe, these epic achievements and more are brilliantly explored, as are the fascinating failures of once “universal” languages. A splendid, authoritative, and remarkable work, it demonstrates how the language history of the world eloquently reveals the real character of our planet’s diverse peoples and prepares us for a linguistic future full of surprises. “Readers learn how languages ancient and modern spread and how they dwindle. . . . Few books bring more intellectual excitement to the study of language.” —Booklist (starred review) “Sparkles with arcane knowledge, shrewd perceptions, and fresh ideas…The sheer sweep of his analysis is breathtaking.” —Times Literary Supplement “Ambitious and accessible . . . Ostler stresses the role of culture, commerce and conquest in the rise and fall of languages, whether Spanish, Portuguese and French in the Americas or Dutch in Asia and Africa.” —Publishers Weekly “A marvelous book.” —National Review

Women in the History of Linguistics

Women in the History of Linguistics
Title Women in the History of Linguistics PDF eBook
Author Professor of French Philology and Linguistics Wendy Ayres-Bennett
Publisher Oxford University Press, USA
Pages 673
Release 2021-01-07
Genre Linguistics
ISBN 0198754957

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This volume offers a ground-breaking investigation into women's contribution to the description, analysis, and codification of languages across a wide range of linguistic and cultural traditions. The chapters explore a variety of spheres of activity, from the production of dictionaries and grammars to language teaching methods and language policy.

A Short History of Linguistics

A Short History of Linguistics
Title A Short History of Linguistics PDF eBook
Author Robert Henry Robins
Publisher
Pages 0
Release 1985
Genre
ISBN

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History of Language

History of Language
Title History of Language PDF eBook
Author Steven Roger Fischer
Publisher Reaktion Books
Pages 244
Release 2004-10-03
Genre Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN 1861895941

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It is tempting to take the tremendous rate of contemporary linguistic change for granted. What is required, in fact, is a radical reinterpretation of what language is. Steven Roger Fischer begins his book with an examination of the modes of communication used by dolphins, birds and primates as the first contexts in which the concept of "language" might be applied. As he charts the history of language from the times of Homo erectus, Neanderthal humans and Homo sapiens through to the nineteenth century, when the science of linguistics was developed, Fischer analyses the emergence of language as a science and its development as a written form. He considers the rise of pidgin, creole, jargon and slang, as well as the effects radio and television, propaganda, advertising and the media are having on language today. Looking to the future, he shows how electronic media will continue to reshape and re-invent the ways in which we communicate. "[a] delightful and unexpectedly accessible book ... a virtuoso tour of the linguistic world."—The Economist "... few who read this remarkable study will regard language in quite the same way again."—The Good Book Guide

Linguistics in a Colonial World

Linguistics in a Colonial World
Title Linguistics in a Colonial World PDF eBook
Author Joseph Errington
Publisher John Wiley & Sons
Pages 213
Release 2010-04-30
Genre Social Science
ISBN 1444329057

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Drawing on both original texts and critical literature, Linguistics in a Colonial World surveys the methods, meanings, and uses of early linguistic projects around the world. Explores how early endeavours in linguistics were used to aid in overcoming practical and ideological difficulties of colonial rule Traces the uses and effects of colonial linguistic projects in the shaping of identities and communities that were under, or in opposition to, imperial regimes Examines enduring influences of colonial linguistics in contemporary thinking about language and cultural difference Brings new insight into post-colonial controversies including endangered languages and language rights in the globalized twenty-first century