HISTORY OF LINGUISTICS Language theories and methodologies

The Competences You will have to develop the following competences: Analytical competences – ability to search for relevant linguistic information, analyze problems, tendencies, new phenomena in linguistics; to master the skills and methods of linguistic analyses Systemic competence – practical applying of knowledge Communicative competences – skills of scientific and academic communication, ability to work in team

The course subject The course will cover : Antique traditions of language studies; Formation and development of national and cultural traditions and schools of Language Theory; The formation of Linguistics as a science The main theories and methodologies of linguistic studies

The aims of the course To get insight into the specifics of discipline and basic concepts of the history of linguistics: schools, traditions, scientific approaches and historical periods To comprehend the role of the history of linguistic studies within the various branches of linguistics and humanitarian sciences in general. To look into the development of specific terminology of scientific language description.

Historical approach to studies The aim of any science is to provide a system of theories/studies with the view of critical analysis of science development. Historical approach means that early studies are of value for modern theories. The continuity of studies is fundamental for the advance of science. Old ideas often turn useful and relevant .

Why are language studies needed? Linguistic tradition is closely related to language standardization. Language studies are possible when there is a developed writing tradition, a written language, when there is a need to study written texts, to standardize language when natural oral language and artificial written language are interrelated

Ars grammatica & scientia grammatica Modern Linguistics is a complicated science, Including description of language systems and generalization of data obtained as a result of this description History of linguistics forms its subject of study and develops its theory following these 2 stages – Ars grammatica which is represented in Antique and medieval studies and scientia grammatica which starts with a universal grammar – The Port-Royal Grammar (Antoine Arnaut, Claude Lancelot,1660).

Linguistic traditions Linguistic development proceeds in certain national frameworks which are called linguistic traditions. In the history of civilization, three important traditions were created: Chinese, Hindu and Greek-Latin (or Mediterranean). There are possible different names of periodization: Ancient Indian, Classic, Arabic and European and others.

Chinese grammatical tradition Chinese grammatical tradition is based on hieroglyphic writing. The first grammatical studies define the rules of creating signs of writing – hieroglyphs and their readings, i.e. the rules of producing written and spoken language. Hieroglyph is related to a syllable, so the word is written through meaning.

Hindu tradition Hindu tradition and Greek and Latin traditions are based on writing using the sound –letter alphabet. 2 types of descriptions are possible- The first is from graphic sign towards sound; Hindu tradition forms the system of graphic signs – this system is used to provide the correct reading/pronunciation of sacred texts.

Greek and Latin tradition This tradition is represented by various alphabets (having obviously the same source) and proceeds from sound to graphic sign. In this tradition it was necessary to define the rules concerning sound and then relate them to rules of creating graphic signs.

These three traditions seem to cover all possible opportunities while forming general rules of written language. They correlate sounds and graphic signs and in case it is impossible they set them separately like in Chinese tradition

Antique schools of philosophy and grammar Antique schools of philosophy and grammar created writings (essays) in which the rules of correct use of language/speech were formulated. These very essays were used to teach language and to standardize it. With developing the science of language, school grammars were separated from science.

Terminology The separation of school grammar from scientific description of language is reflected in terminology. Antique writings introduced the main notions of language description – ‘sound of speech’, ‘word’, ‘sentence’, ‘part of speech’, ‘case’, ‘person’, ‘number’ etc. Scientific writings made use of ‘law of sounds’, ‘Grammatical correlation’, ‘etymology’, ‘language type’ and others;

Language theories History of linguistics shows that language representation by linguistics depends on some basic points, empirical material and different spheres of use, due to this the type of language theory could differ.

Development of linguistic studies The following periods in the history of linguistics could be outlined: Theory of naming in Antique philosophy Antique grammatical traditions Universal grammar Comparative linguistics including three branches – comparative –historical linguistics, comparative typology, theoretical linguistics; Systemic linguistics Structural linguistics

BABYLONIAN TRADITION The earliest texts (in cuneiform) date IVc. BC Mesopotamia IIc. BC – a grammatical tradition arose that lasted for 2500 years. Lists of noun in Sumerian (the language of religious and legal texts). Akkadian language was used in everyday speech. Translation of Sumerian words, and word forms Information about Sumerian language was recorded in writing

HINDU TRADITION c.I BC changes in Sanscrit (sacred language of religious texts) stimulated Hindu grammatical traditions; Rituals required the exact verbal performance of religious texts; Pᾱnini (c. 500 BC) grammar covered phonetics and morphology (rules of word formation);

Greek linguistics Greek traditions developed in response to linguistic change necessitating explanation of the language of Homer’s epics; Philosophical and theoretical aspects of language were investigated: origin of language, parts-of-speech system, the relation between language and thought, the relation between form and meaning – natural or conventional (iconic and arbitrary); Plato’s Cratylus and Aristotle; The first surviving grammar of a European language is a short description of Greek by Dionysius Thrax (c. 100 BC) Technē Grammatikē (phonetics and morphology); Greek synatax by Appolonius Discolus (c. 110-175 AD)

Roman traditions Roman linguistics continued studying the themes of Greek linguistics and like others was prompted by the changes in the spoken language; Particular interest in morphology, parts of speech and the forms of nouns and verbs; Syntax was ignored; Grammar of Latin by Donãtus (c.4 AD) and Priscan (c.6 AD) were highly influential in the Middle Ages;

Arabic and Hebrew traditions Greek grammatical traditions had a strong influence on the Arabic tradition, which focused on morphology and provided accurate phonetic description Abū al-Aswad ad-Du’ alī (607-688) The Arabic tradition was a major influence on the Hebrew tradition. Saadya ben Josef al-Fayyūmī (882-924) produced the first grammar and dictionary of Hebrew. The Hebrew tradition reached its peak in c.XIII with David Qimpi’s work which hada strong impact on European linguistics;