Linguistic Theory and the Problem of Mutism

Spain in the Renaissance witnessed a growth of interest in the methods of teaching the deaf and dumb to read and write, and, in cases, to speak. This practical activity continued alongside more philosophical speculation concerning the phenomenon of mutism. In this paper the author has tried to show how in the work of Juan Pablo Bonet (1579–1633) there was considerable interaction between the theoretical study of language and the consideration of practical problems concerning mutism. In particular, he believed that the linguistic deficiencies of the deaf revealed the extent to which man’s linguistic attributes in general may be deemed ‘natural’ or ‘conventional’. Work on mutism declined in Spain after Bonet, but at the end of the 18th century "another Spanish scholar, Lorenzo Hervás y Pan-duro (1735–1809), made another notable contribution to the subject. The author illustrates how Hervás, like Bonet, speculated intelligently on the light that language pathology throws on more general linguistic problems. He suggests that a study of traditional linguists of ‘applied’ interests is particularly rewarding at a time when scholars are again seeking a closer relationship between theoretical linguistics and language therapy.