1. Who was a grammatikos: linguistics of Antiquity beginnings of grammatical thought (Plato, Aristotle, sophists), position of linguistic thought in the education system, schools accentuating logic and text criticism (Alexandrian school, Stoics), adaptation of Greek grammatical thought in Latin environment, Varro, Quintillian, formation of grammatical curriculum, Donatus and Priscian as peak of Antiquity period grammar 2. From literacy to grammar context of the early Middle Ages, island grammars and rules, transformation of school grammar into theoretical discipline, currents in linguistic thought bordering on philosophy and logic 3. Orthography and dictionaries: blossoming during the Renaissance period changes of relation of Renaissance grammatical thought to the Middle Ages, orientation on text and rhetoric, Antiquity revival, orthographical reforms and grammars of national languages, linguistic expansion 4. Dream of the perfect language: grammars of mind and world universal and philosophical grammars (Port-Royal, Towards a Real Character), problem of imperfection of language, topic of language diversity and origin of language 5. Linguistics as science of origin and development: beginnings of modern linguistics birth of historical-comparative linguistics, basic characterization terminology, tasks and common topics of investigations of the first half of the 19th century (empiricism, data orientation, organicism, historism), basic topics (classification, evolution, typology, reconstruction, comparison, language changes) 6. One current? The Neogrammarian heresy problem of language law and historicism, question of borders, analogy, psychological and theoretical line of Neogrammatism 7. Structuralisms enter the stage: system and structures development of de Saussure's thought and definition of new linguistics, structure of Course in General Linguistics as a reflection of main topic of the period 8. Prague structuralism: at the turning point of epochs basic topics and terminology of the Prague School (phonology, oppositions, language culture, teleology, function) with respect to Czech linguistic context 9. Science of language as Science: generativism changes the course basic terminology and foundations of transformational and generative grammar, introduction of selected internal factors of its emergence and development 10. From communication to text: expanding the horizons communication-pragmatics turn in linguistics: its basic forms (speech acts theory, text theory, sociolinguistics and discourse theory) and topics 11. Corpus delicti corpus: what is new beginnings of corpus linguistics in the context of American linguistic situation of the mid-20th century, the Boston Corpus, themes of development and current status of corpus linguistics 12. Cognition and construction: on the threshold of the 21st century foundations of cognitive linguistics (Lakoff, Langacker) and the way they are elaborated on in construction grammars (Croft): concept of symbolic function of language, categorization, construction against opposition grammar vs. dictionary
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The aim of the course is to introduce students based on lectures and course readings consisting of (mostly) primary texts with the changes, prominent personalities, concepts, approaches and controversial topics in world history of linguistics. By providing elementary context of contemporary science both general and particular, the course will point out the merit, inspiration but also problems that might go with any given concept. The objective is to demonstrate critical stages of development of thought about language on selected moments. The course will provide mainly the basic outline of the topics covered and will be primarily oriented on facts, since a more detailed epistemological contextualization is covered by the course cycle Changes of Thought about Language 1-3 in the graduate programme. The course is at the same time conceived as an elective framework basis for completion of the obligatory course History of Czech Linguistics. Knowledge acquired should include understanding of changes discussed as well as of the concepts/approaches in development of linguistics, especially with respect to chronology and possible mutual references elsewhere.
Students acquire orientation on basic development of linguistic thought and elementary methodology of its investigation: they know the essential theories, personalities, terminology and works. They are able to epistemologically contextualize linguistic knowledge. They are able to work with historical text - basics of critical reading of text. In combination with the course History of Czech Linguistics students will have acquired the ability to understand international linguistic developments with Czech linguistic investigations.
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