Lectures on the Science of Language (Classic Reprint): Delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in February, March, April,& May, 1863 - Softcover
Synopsis
Discover how human speech grows from simple sounds into a vast family of languages, and why that story matters.
This classic course analyzes language as both a rational system and a natural instinct, tracing how languages split and spread across cultures. It surveys major language families, including Aryan, Semitic, and related scripts, using historical evidence from inscriptions, texts, and ancient trade.
You’ll explore how scholars connect Sanskrit, Greek, Hebrew, and other tongues, and how ideas about language shape our understanding of history, cognition, and society. The book also discusses the discovery and decipherment of ancient languages and their enduring impact on modern linguistics.
- Clear explanations of how roots and sounds combine to form speech.
- Overviews of major language families and their interconnections.
- Insights into how inscriptions, grammars, and translations reveal historical links.
- Context for the development of linguistic theory in the 19th century and beyond.
Ideal for readers of linguistic history, philology, and the science of language.
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