Filipp Fortunatov: An Underestimated Talent

Abstract

This article marks the 175 anniversary of the famous Russian linguist Filipp Fortunatov and looks at his major findings. It is pointed out that in certain respects the scholar has contributed a lot to the linguistic science of his time. While working in the sphere of comparative linguistics, F. Fortunatov was actively involved in the studies of the Baltic-Slavic languages. In his contemplation of the sociological aspect of language, he forestalled the appearance of psycholinguistics. Concurrently, the scholar based his judgments on the then popular neogrammarian movement and the German psychological school. While analyzing the phonic aspect of the word, F. Fortunatov also used the provisions that would nowadays be deemed psycholinguistic. His contribution to the development of the theory of syntax and pedagogical ideas is undeniable, too. F. Fortunatov obviously deserves credit for having founded the Moscow linguistic school that fostered a constellation of talented scholars. Moreover, F. Fortunatov’s morphological classification of world languages is recognized as a most accurate one by modern typology. This classification was elaborated long before the linguists of the 20th century came to similar findings. The above mentioned achievements by F. Fortunatov seem to be misappreciated by Russian linguists let alone the Western ones. Russian textbooks of typology favor the morphological classification put forward by W. von Humboldt, although, as it is argued in the article, F. Fortunatov’s classification presents typological diversity of world languages more profoundly and precisely. If W. von Humboldt distinguished four language types, F. Fortunatov did five. His classification, except for minor terminological differences, overlaps with the five world language types singled out by scholars in the 20th century, in particular by V. Skalička. All this goes to say that the breakthrough in world language typology made by F. Fortunatov has really been misappreciated by modern linguistics and pedagogy.