History of Linguistic Theories

This course aims to provide a general overview of the development of linguistic theories, mainly focusing on grammars and dictionaries and the formation of linguistic tools in the Western tradition, particularly since the Greco-Roman Antiquity. It draws on a selection of foundational texts from Antiquity, the Renaissance, the grammatisation of European vernacular languages, and, simultaneously, the documentation of non-European languages worldwide (16th-18th centuries) and the birth of comparative linguistics or comparative grammar (19th century). Secondly, this course also offers an initial insight into other descriptive traditions worldwide, such as the Arabic, Hebrew and Chinese grammatical traditions, and the 'circulation of linguistic knowledge' in Europe (in particular, the dissemination of knowledge about Asian languages during the 16th-19th centuries, such as Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese). In particular, it examines how the discovery of non-Western languages during the early modern period and the 19th century contributed to shaping linguistic theory development further.

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:             

• Apply the theoretical foundation (The Greco-Latin framework and the concept of “Grammaire latine étendue) as explained during the CM sessions in the assignments, the presentation, and the final essay.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the methodology and tools for research in the field of the History of Language Sciences.
• Theoretically substantiate a chosen topic, using the relevant literature. Through the chosen case study, the student demonstrates the ability to apply this theoretical framework.
• Demonstrate scientific skills in the presentation and the final project, such as correct citation, paraphrasing, summarizing, analyzing, and referencing sources.

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