Contributors to the beginnings of language typology

Abstract

Summary Coseriu’s article, “Adam Smith und die Anfänge der Sprachtypologie”, (the translation of which precedes this article) served as the stimulus for this discussion of the contributions several scholars have made to the beginnings of language typology. The works of A. W. Schlegel, Friedrich Schlegel, Adam Smith, and Gabriel Girard are reviewed in an attempt to place the beginnings of language typology in perspective. Although several parallels are evident in the classification systems of these four, some differences, particularly with respect to the role that language development played, do exist. For example, both Smith and A. W. Schlegel considered the influence of language development, while Friedrich Schlegel did not. Moreover, both Smith and A. W. Schlegel were aware of the effect of the linguistic environment on language; they realized that language changes even in linguistic isolation, although they differed in their reasoning. A comparison between Smith’s and Girard’s systems reveals that the criteria for their classification systems were reversed. Contrary to Smith, Girard considered uninflected languages (analogues – and fixed word order) to be more logical than inflected languages (transpositives – and free word order). Smith also maintained that inflected (uncompounded) languages – and free word order – developed first because indicating modification by changing the structure of the word itself requires less abstract reasoning than does periphrasing with fixed word order.