An Introduction To The Study Of Language (1914)

""An Introduction to the Study of Language"" is a seminal work in the field of linguistics, written by Leonard Bloomfield and originally published in 1914. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the study of language, covering topics such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Bloomfield's approach to linguistics is heavily influenced by the structuralist school of thought, which emphasizes the systematic analysis of language as a system of interrelated elements. The book is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the basic concepts of linguistics, including the nature of language, the relationship between language and thought, and the different levels of linguistic analysis. The second part delves into the specifics of phonetics and phonology, exploring the sounds of language and the ways in which they are organized into meaningful units. The third part covers morphology, syntax, and semantics, examining the structure and meaning of words, phrases, and sentences.Throughout the book, Bloomfield emphasizes the importance of empirical observation and analysis in the study of language. He argues that linguistics should be based on the systematic collection and analysis of data, rather than on intuition or speculation. This approach has had a lasting impact on the field of linguistics, and ""An Introduction to the Study of Language"" remains a classic text in the discipline.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Leonard Bloomfield, an American professor of Germanic languages, created the field of linguistics as a branch of science. In studying such non-Western languages as Tagalog, spoken in the Philippines, he realized the futility of trying to fit all languages into the format of Latin grammar in the common practice in his time. Bloomfield went on to discover the principles of language itself. His book Language (1933) integrated the field of linguistics for the first time.