Language and its Functions
A historico-critical study of views concerning the functions of language from the pre-humanistic philology of Orleans to the rationalistic philology of Bopp
Translated by Paul Salmon in consultation with Anthony J. Klijnsmit
When Pieter Verburg (1905-1989) published Taal en Functionaliteit in 1952, the work was received with admiration by linguistic scholars, though the number of those who could read the Dutch text for themselves remained limited. The title alludes to the theories of linguistic function set out in 1936 by Karl Bühler, but Verburg regards the three functions of discourse — focussing respectively on the speaker, the person addressed and the matter discussed — as no more than sub-functions of the human function of speech. His central concern is to explore the relationships between thought and language, and language and reality; and the work sets out to provide a historical analysis of views on these relationships in the period 1100 to 1800.
The great strength of the work lies in the way in which the views of language are related to contemporaneous moves in philosophy and science, contrasting essentially the mediaeval acceptance of authority, the beginnings of induction in the Renaissance, the dependence of early rationalism on calculation based on axiomatic truths, and the further development of independent observation. All these trends are reflected in the way men thought about language, as well as in the way they used it.
Much has been written on the history of linguistics since this book was written, but it still offers a unique view of the development of thinking about language.
The great strength of the work lies in the way in which the views of language are related to contemporaneous moves in philosophy and science, contrasting essentially the mediaeval acceptance of authority, the beginnings of induction in the Renaissance, the dependence of early rationalism on calculation based on axiomatic truths, and the further development of independent observation. All these trends are reflected in the way men thought about language, as well as in the way they used it.
Much has been written on the history of linguistics since this book was written, but it still offers a unique view of the development of thinking about language.
[Studies in the History of the Language Sciences, 84] 1998. xxxiv, 577 pp.
Publishing status: Available
© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Table of Contents
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ForewordJan Noordegraaf | p. vii
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Translator's IntroductionPaul B. Salmon | p. xxi
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Author's Preface | p. xxx
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Chapter 1. Introduction | p. 1
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Chapter 2. Classical Antiquity | p. 11
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A synoptic view
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Chapter 3. The Middle Ages | p. 31
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Part I: The Realistic view of language: The Humanities at Orleans, Thomas Aquinas, Speculative Grammar, Raymond Lull
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Chapter 4. The Middle Ages | p. 62
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Part II: Non-realistic views of language: Abelard, Peter of Spain, William of Occam
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Chapter 5. Humanism | p. 103
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Part I: Introduction: Humanism in Italy: Bruni, Valla
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Chapter 6. Humanism | p. 123
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Part II: Humanism north of the Alps: Agricola, Erasmus, Vives; — Philology, Comparison of Languages, Erudition; — Ramus
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Chapter 7. The Renaissance | p. 192
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Critical attitudes towards Language — Bruno — Bacon
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Chapter 8. Axiomatic Rationalism | p. 232
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Introduction and Part I: Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Leibniz
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Chapter 9. Axiomatic Rationalism | p. 313
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Part II: Artificial Languages: Wilkins; Wolff, Süssmilch, Lambert, Meiner
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Chapter 10. Pragmatic Rationalism | p. 337
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Introduction: Part I: Port-Royal, Shaftesbury, Harris, Monboddo — Condillac — De Brosses
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Chapter 11. Pragmatic Rationalism | p. 399
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Part II: — Further linguistic theories in the tradition of Port-Royal, Condillac and de Brosses
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Chapter 12. The Aftermath of Rationalism | p. 413
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Diderot and Rousseau — Hamann and Herder
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Chapter 13. Linguistics and the Humanities | p. 436
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The Study of the Classics in the Netherlands: A Preliminary View of Bopp — Conclusion
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Appendix A: Revised opening of Chapter 5, in draft English translation | p. 463
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Appendix B: Original Texts of Quotations | p. 470
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Chronological Table | p. 526
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Index NominumAnthony J. Klijnsmit | p. 529
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Index RerumAnthony J. Klijnsmit | p. 542
“This edition not only makes V's classic study of linguistic historiography available in English but also includes interesting contextual information about the work, such as a bibliographical sketch [...], an introductory essay by the translator.”
Jean-Christophe Verstraete, University of Leuven, in Language, Vol.79.1, 2003
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Subjects
Linguistics
Main BIC Subject
CF: Linguistics
Main BISAC Subject
LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General