ABSTRACT

Originally published in 1964, this book examines where and how the pattern and texture of speech emerged and whether language is logical. It looks at linguistics from both the historical and descriptive points of view, as a physical science and as a social science. It also discusses the problem of aesthetics in language and what happens when different languages come into contact with each other. The book concludes with a discussion of the possibility of an international language, and indeed whether such a development would be progress or something that is needed or wanted.

chapter |18 pages

Introduction

A Brief History of Linguistics

chapter Problem I|8 pages

The Origin and Nature of Language

chapter Problem II|14 pages

Logic and Universality in Language

chapter Problem III|9 pages

Law or Free Choice?

chapter Problem IV|5 pages

Monogenesis or Polygenesis?

chapter Problem V|10 pages

Language, Race, Nationality and Religion

chapter Problem VI|8 pages

Classification

chapter Problem VII|7 pages

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Comparative Method

chapter Problem VIII|8 pages

Descriptivism vs. Historicism

chapter Problem IX|7 pages

Linguistics: A Physical or a Social Science?

chapter Problem X|8 pages

Esthetics in Language

chapter Problem XI|6 pages

Languages in Contact

chapter Problem XII|7 pages

Meaning in Language

chapter Problem XIII|7 pages

Authority vs. Usage

chapter Problem XIV|7 pages

The Spoken vs. the Written Language

chapter Problem XV|9 pages

The International Language