The underlying structures that are common to the world's languages bear an intriguing connection with early emerging forms of "core knowledge" (Spelke & Kinzler, 2007), which are frequently studied by infant researchers. In particular, grammatical systems often incorporate distinctions (e.g., the mass/count distinction) that reflect…

Poetry is the art shaped through language; to talk about a poem we need at least to talk about its language--but what can be said will depend on the particular linguistic theory, with its particular modelling of language, which we bring to the description. This paper outlines the approach of SFL (Systemic Functional Linguistics), describing in…

The goal of this study is to provide an inventory of the Analytic Causative constructions that were in use in Peninsular Spanish from the 12th to the 16th centuries from the constructional perspective of Cognitive Grammar. A detailed profile of each construction was made including its constructional schema along with relevant semantic, syntactic,…

The linguistic thought of the nineteenth century is examined to show that the two traditional assumptions about the prescriptive concern for "correctness" are not valid. (HP)

Various theories are presented in support of a rationist approach to linguistics. (Author/HP)

Intended for people with little or no training in linguistics, this book initially deals with such basic concepts as the definition of linguistics, the nature of language, and the linguistic variations within a society. The discussion then moves to a more detailed, non-historical analysis of language structure, focusing on lexical items,…

A conversation with William Labov in September 1970, is the basis of this paper. Labov, who is working on a new theory of language which essentially makes style the function of grammar, divides linguistic description into the following five interrelated segments: semantic network, oriented semantic network, lexicalization, grammaticalization, and…

Two traditions are distinguishable in modern linguistic theory: the tradition of "universal grammar" which flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the tradition of structural or descriptive linguistics which reached its peak 15 or 20 years ago. Universal grammar was concerned with (1) the relation of deep structure to surface forms and to…

THIS BOOK, FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1921, IS INTENDED AS A BASIC INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTIC SCIENCE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LAYMAN. THE INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER DEFINES LANGUAGE AS A CULTURAL FUNCTION AND AS THE POSSIBLE BASIS OF ALL THOUGHT. THE ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE ARE TREATED IN SECTIONS ON PHONETICS, WORDS, GRAMMATICAL CONCEPTS, AND GRAMMATICAL PROCESSES.…

THE PROBLEM OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE STRUCTURE IS CONSIDERED AND THE FORM WHICH ANY LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION SHOULD TAKE. THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE INFLUENCE OF THE SWISS LINGUIST, FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE, ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN LINGUISTICS. THE QUESTION OF "MENTALISM" IN LINGUISTICS IS REDUCED TO THE PROBLEM OF WHETHER LINGUISTIC…

A survey of the substance of linguistics and of the activities of linguists is presented in an attempt to acquaint ordinary readers with the various aspects of la"guage. A discussion of the human tendency toward speech, of the traits of language, and of phonetic elements prepares the way for an analysis of the structure of languag e in terms of…

This essay is an overview of the state of language arts and sciences, or theory and applied skills, and it surveys literacy levels, ability in both native and second languages, language education and linguistic theory. (CK)

Original version of this paper presented an Indiana University, Bloomington, April 28, 1971. (VM)

The meanings of the words grammar and linguistics have undergone a multitude of changes in the last years, but teachers should continue to teach linguistics and formal grammar in the schools. (JH)