The German sinologist and general linguist Georg von der Gabelentz (1840—1893) occupies a crucial place in linguistic scholarship around the end of the nineteenth century. As professor at the University of Leipzig and then at the University of Berlin, Gabelentz was present at the main centers of linguistics of the time. He was, however, generally critical of the narrow, technical focus of mainstream historical-comparative linguistics as practiced by the Neogrammarians and instead emphasized approaches to language inspired by a line of researchers stemming from Wilhelm von Humboldt. Gabelentz'' alternative conception of linguistics led him to several pioneering insights into language that anticipated elements of the structuralist revolution of the early twentieth century. Gabelentz and the Science of Language brings together four essays that explore Gabelentz'' contributions to linguistics from a historical perspective. In addition, it makes one of his key theoretical texts, ''Content and Form of Speech'', available to an English-speaking audience for the first time.

The German sinologist and general linguist Georg von der Gabelentz (1840—1893) occupies a crucial place in linguistic scholarship around the end of the nineteenth century. As professor at the University of Leipzig and then at the University of Berlin, Gabelentz was present at the main centers of linguistics of the time. He was, however, generally critical of the narrow, technical focus of mainstream historical-comparative linguistics as practiced by the Neogrammarians and instead emphasized approaches to language inspired by a line of researchers stemming from Wilhelm von Humboldt. Gabelentz'' alternative conception of linguistics led him to several pioneering insights into language that anticipated elements of the structuralist revolution of the early twentieth century. Gabelentz and the Science of Language brings together four essays that explore Gabelentz'' contributions to linguistics from a historical perspective. In addition, it makes one of his key theoretical texts, ''Content and Form of Speech'', available to an English-speaking audience for the first time.

Wie ist die Linguistik das geworden, was sie heutzutage ist?

Dieses Buch bietet eine bündige Einführung in die Geschichte der modernen Linguistik von ihrer Entstehung im frühen 19. Jahrhundert bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg. Es ist als kollektive Biografie des Fachs verfasst und konzentriert sich auf die führenden Persönlichkeiten der Linguistik, ihre Kontroversen und die Rolle des sozialen und politischen Umfelds bei der Formulierung und Ausarbeitung ihrer Theorien und Methoden.

Obwohl das Augenmerk des Buches auf der akademischen Linguistik liegt, werden auch einschlägige Themen und Theorien aus der Philosophie, Psychologie und Anthropologie behandelt, die zur Entwicklung der Linguistik beigetragen haben.

Das Buch richtet sich an Studierende der Linguistik und benachbarter Fächer, die ihre Kenntnisse der historischen Hintergründe und philosophischen Grundlagen der modernen Sprachforschung vertiefen wollen.

The German sinologist and general linguist Georg von der Gabelentz (1840—1893) occupies a crucial place in linguistic scholarship around the end of the nineteenth century. As professor at the University of Leipzig and then at the University of Berlin, Gabelentz was present at the main centers of linguistics of the time. He was, however, generally critical of the narrow, technical focus of mainstream historical-comparative linguistics as practiced by the Neogrammarians and instead emphasized approaches to language inspired by a line of researchers stemming from Wilhelm von Humboldt. Gabelentz'' alternative conception of linguistics led him to several pioneering insights into language that anticipated elements of the structuralist revolution of the early twentieth century. Gabelentz and the Science of Language brings together four essays that explore Gabelentz'' contributions to linguistics from a historical perspective. In addition, it makes one of his key theoretical texts, ''Content and Form of Speech'', available to an English-speaking audience for the first time.

The German sinologist and general linguist Georg von der Gabelentz (1840—1893) occupies a crucial place in linguistic scholarship around the end of the nineteenth century. As professor at the University of Leipzig and then at the University of Berlin, Gabelentz was present at the main centers of linguistics of the time. He was, however, generally critical of the narrow, technical focus of mainstream historical-comparative linguistics as practiced by the Neogrammarians and instead emphasized approaches to language inspired by a line of researchers stemming from Wilhelm von Humboldt. Gabelentz'' alternative conception of linguistics led him to several pioneering insights into language that anticipated elements of the structuralist revolution of the early twentieth century. Gabelentz and the Science of Language brings together four essays that explore Gabelentz'' contributions to linguistics from a historical perspective. In addition, it makes one of his key theoretical texts, ''Content and Form of Speech'', available to an English-speaking audience for the first time.

Wie ist die Linguistik das geworden, was sie heutzutage ist?

Dieses Buch bietet eine bündige Einführung in die Geschichte der modernen Linguistik von ihrer Entstehung im frühen 19. Jahrhundert bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg. Es ist als kollektive Biografie des Fachs verfasst und konzentriert sich auf die führenden Persönlichkeiten der Linguistik, ihre Kontroversen und die Rolle des sozialen und politischen Umfelds bei der Formulierung und Ausarbeitung ihrer Theorien und Methoden.

Obwohl das Augenmerk des Buches auf der akademischen Linguistik liegt, werden auch einschlägige Themen und Theorien aus der Philosophie, Psychologie und Anthropologie behandelt, die zur Entwicklung der Linguistik beigetragen haben.

Das Buch richtet sich an Studierende der Linguistik und benachbarter Fächer, die ihre Kenntnisse der historischen Hintergründe und philosophischen Grundlagen der modernen Sprachforschung vertiefen wollen.