LING 50.05 History of Linguistics
This course covers the history of linguistics from ancient times up until the present, concentrating on 20th century. Major themes include: the controversy over the status of linguistics as a science; the recurrent conflict between theoretical and applied linguistics; the relation of trends in linguistics to general contemporaneous intellectual trends; and the relative importance of social factors in determining the acceptance of particular linguists’ ideas. Specific theoretical issues will also be considered, such as: the nature and significance of the phoneme; the degree to which syntax is independent of semantics and pragmatics; realist vs. nominalist views of linguistic description; and formalist vs. functionalist disagreements over the autonomy of language.
Instructor
Pulju