The document provides a timeline of the history of linguistics from ancient Sumerians to modern theories. It notes that the Sumerians invented the earliest writing system of cuneiform around 4500-1900 BC. Key figures and developments mentioned include the Greek period beginning in the 6th century BC which involved early linguistic investigation; contributions of 18th century scholars like Herder who emphasized language and culture connections; and 20th century theories like Saussure's structural linguistics and Chomsky's generative grammar formalism. The timeline illustrates the numerous influences and advances that have shaped the field of linguistics over thousands of years.

1. A TIMELINE OF THE
HISTORY OF LINGUISTICS
By: Christine Mae D. Bautista
Angel Belgera

2. The Sumerians, an ancient civilization in Mesopotamia (c.
4500-1900 BC), are credited with inventing cuneiform, the
earliest writing system. Cuneiform, a logographic script,
used symbols to represent words or concepts and was
inscribed on clay tablets using a stylus. It served as a
versatile method to record administrative, legal, literary,
and religious texts, not only in Sumerian but also in
languages like Akkadian and Elamite.
THE SUMERIANS

3. Their high literacy rates and diverse use of
cuneiform significantly influenced writing's
evolution globally. Cuneiform remained in use
for over 3,000 years, dominating the Middle
East until the ascendancy of the Persian
Empire in the 6th century BC.
THE SUMERIANS

4. Hindu tradition, among the oldest and most
diverse religions globally, began in India over
4,000 years ago and has extended its influence
worldwide. Language holds immense
significance in Hinduism, with Sanskrit, an
ancient language, considered sacred and utilized
in rituals, ceremonies, and revered scriptures like
the Vedas and Upanishads.
HINDU TRADITIONS

5. Hindu tradition boasts a profound
history of linguistic scholarship, where
early Hindu scholars made substantial
contributions to linguistic development,
establishing some of the earliest
foundations in the field of linguistics.
HINDU TRADITIONS

6. BHARTRHARI
Bhartṛhari, an influential 7th-century Indian philosopher
and grammarian, is revered for his significant contributions
to Indian philosophy and Sanskrit grammar. His renowned
work, the Vakyapadiya, delves into the philosophy of
language, asserting that language forms the fundamental
basis of the world, implying that all of reality is inherently
linguistic. Bhartṛhari's work remains a subject of study for
contemporary scholars, serving as a continual source of
inspiration for both philosophers and linguists alike.

7. GREEK
(5TH CENTURY BC ONWARD)

8. GREEK
The Greek period in linguistics, from
6th to 2nd century BC, was a
significant period in linguistic thought,
involving systematic investigation of
language aspects like phonology,
morphology, syntax, and semantics.

9. 10
Plato, an Athenian philosopher, debated the nature of
language in his dialogue Cratylus, proposing two views:
conventionalism and naturalism. Conventionalists
argued language is arbitrary, while naturalists believed
it reflects reality. Plato favored a moderate position,
suggesting that language is partly conventional and
partly natural.

10. 10
Aristotle, Plato's student, made significant
contributions to linguistics, focusing on logic and
grammar. He proposed categories for language and
distinguished between nouns and verbs, recognizing
their roles in sentence structure.

11. 10
Apollonius Dyscolus, a 2nd-century Greek
grammarian, is considered the father of Greek syntax.
His "Peri Syntaxeos"(Περὶ Συvτάξεως), is the first
comprehensive treatise on Greek syntax, analyzing
sentence structure and establishing the foundation
for Western syntactic theory. His work laid the
groundwork for the development of syntactic theory
in the Western tradition.

12. ROMANS
(1ST CENTURY BC TO
APPROXIMATELY 500 AD)

13. ROMANS
During the 1st to 5th centuries BC, the
Romans significantly contributed to
linguistics, focusing on preserving and
analyzing the Latin language, particularly
in grammar, rhetoric, and the creation of
Latin dictionaries and encyclopedias.

14. 10
Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar and
polymath, is a significant figure in Latin linguistics,
known for his prolific writings on grammar, rhetoric,
philosophy, and agriculture. His most notable work,
"De Lingua Latina," influenced the study of Latin
grammar and influenced future linguists.
MARCUS TERENTIUS VARRO
(116-27 BC)

15. 10
Aelius Donatus, a Roman grammarian and teacher, is
best known for his influential grammar textbook "Ars
Grammatica," which introduced Latin grammar topics
like morphology, syntax, and etymology, preserving
and disseminating Latin grammatical knowledge
throughout the Middle Ages.
AELIUS DONATUS
(4TH CENTURY AD)

16. THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
(5TH - 14TH CENTURIES)

17. MEDIEVAL
The Medieval period saw significant contributions
to linguistic study, particularly in the fields of
grammar, translation, and the understanding of
languages like Latin and Old English. Figures like
Isidore of Seville, St. Jerome, Aelfric the
Grammarian, and Thomas of Erfurt played pivotal
roles in shaping linguistic discourse during this
era.

18. Isidore, a prominent scholar in the Medieval period,
authored the influential work "Etymologiae," an
encyclopedia covering various subjects including
language, etymology, and grammar.
Known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the
Vulgate), St. Jerome's scholarly work contributed
significantly to the development of Latin grammar and
Christian literature.
ISIDORE OF SEVILLE
(C. 560-636)
ST. JEROME
(C. 347-420)

19. Aelfric was an English abbot and writer who composed
works on grammar and translated parts of the Bible into
Old English.
The "First Grammatical Treatise" is considered one of the
earliest known English works on grammar, discussing
aspects of Old English grammar and syntax.
AELFRIC THE
GRAMMARIAN
(C. 955-1010)
FIRST
GRAMMATICAL
TREATISE
Thomas was a German scholastic philosopher whose work
focused on logic, metaphysics, and semantics, contributing
to linguistic thought during the medieval scholastic period.
THOMAS OF
ERFURT
(FLOURISHED IN
THE 13TH
CENTURY)

20. THE RENAISSANCE
(15TH - 17TH CENTURIES)

21. RENAISSANCE
The Renaissance period saw a
resurgence of interest in classical
languages, the development of
vernacular languages, and significant
advancements in linguistic thought
across Europe.

22. A Greek scholar, Chrysoloras, taught Greek language and
literature in Western Europe, contributing to the revival of
Greek studies during the Renaissance.
Dante's "Divine Comedy" is a significant work in Italian literature
and played a role in standardizing the Italian language.
Known as Ramus, he was a French philosopher and educational
reformer whose ideas influenced linguistic thought by proposing
a new method of teaching grammar.
MANUEL CHRYSOLORAS
(C. 1355-1415)
DANTE ALIGHIERI
(1265-1321)
PIERRE DE LA RAMÉE
(1515-1572)

23. Although not specifically during the Renaissance period, the
School of Basra in the 8th century was significant for Arabic
linguistics, as scholars like Sibawayh developed foundational
works in Arabic grammar, influencing linguistic thought in later
periods.
The founding of the Royal Society in England led to
scientific and intellectual advancements, including studies
in linguistics, emphasizing empirical methods and inquiry.
SCHOOL OF
BASRA
BRITISH ROYAL
SOCIETY (1660)
The Port-Royal Grammarians, including Antoine Arnauld and Claude
Lancelot, were French linguists who developed grammatical theories
emphasizing rational analysis and clarity in language. Their work,
"Port-Royal Grammar," contributed significantly to the understanding
of grammar and syntax.
PORT-ROYAL
GRAMMARIANS

24. 18TH-CENTURY EUROPE

25. 18TH-CENTURY
EUROPE
The 18th century in Europe witnessed significant
developments in linguistic thought, with scholars like
J.G. Herder, James Harris, James Burnett, and Sir
William Jones contributing to various aspects of
language theory, grammar, historical linguistics, and
the study of languages from different regions. Their
works laid the foundation for further linguistic inquiry
and the understanding of language diversity and
evolution.

26. Herder believed that language is an essential
part of human culture and that it is intimately
connected to the way we think and perceive the
world. He believed that each language is unique
and reflects the culture and history of the people
who speak it
An English philosopher and grammarian,
Harris wrote "Hermes," a work discussing
language theory and the principles of
grammar.
J. G HERDER
JAMES HARRIS

27. Lord Monboddo, a Scottish judge, scholar of
linguistic evolution, philosopher and deist. He
is most famous today as a founder of
modern comparative historical linguistics
A British philologist, Jones was known for his
studies in Oriental languages and comparative
linguistics. He founded the Asiatic Society of
Bengal and proposed the Indo-European
language family hypothesis.
JAMES BURNETT
SIR WILLIAM JONES

28. THE 19-CENTURY
PHILOLOGY

29. 19TH - CENTURY
PHILOLOGY
The 19th century saw the development of the
comparative method, allowing systematic
comparison of languages based on sound
systems, grammatical structure, and
vocabulary, leading to the discovery of the
Indo-European language family, including
English, French, German, Hindi, and Russian.

30. A German linguist and philosopher, Humboldt is
known for his work on the philosophy of
language. He emphasized the connection
between language and thought, proposing the
idea of linguistic relativity. He also contributed to
the study of Native American languages.
As a German poet, philosopher, and philologist,
Schlegel played a key role in establishing the field of
comparative philology, exploring the historical and
comparative study of languages.
WILHELM VON HUMBOLDT
(1767-1835)
FRIEDRICH VON SCHLEGEL
(1772-1829)

31. A Danish philologist, Rask made significant
contributions to comparative linguistics,
especially in the field of Indo-European
languages. He is known for his work on Old Norse
and for proposing the laryngeal theory in Proto-
Indo-European studies.
Alongside his brother Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm is
famous for their collection of fairy tales. However,
Jacob Grimm also contributed greatly to linguistics
with his comparative studies, particularly Grimm's
Law, outlining sound changes in the Germanic
languages.
RASMUS RASK
(1787-1832)
JACOB GRIMM
(1785-1863)

32. A German linguist, Bopp is considered one of the
founders of comparative philology and historical
linguistics. He made groundbreaking
contributions to the study of Indo-European
languages, particularly in Sanskrit and its
relation to other Indo-European languages.
German linguist, Pott focused on the classification
of languages and their relationship within the
broader framework of linguistic studies. He
contributed significantly to the understanding of
language evolution.
FRANZ BOPP
(1791-1867)
AUGUST FRIEDRICH POTT
(1802-1887)

33. Schleicher was a German linguist known
for his work in comparative linguistics
and the development of the
"Stammbaumtheorie" (family tree
theory), which aimed to illustrate
language relationships through a tree-
like structure depicting their evolution. AUGUST SCHLEICHER
(1821-1868)

34. 20TH CENTURY
These linguists played pivotal roles in shaping
structuralism within linguistics, focusing on the
structure, organization, and internal
relationships within languages. Their works laid
the foundation for various linguistic theories and
methodologies, influencing the study of
language structure and meaning in the 20th
century and beyond.

35. Swiss linguist Saussure, known for his influential
work "Course in General Linguistics," introduced
structural linguistics, emphasizing the structure of
language and studying signs. He introduced
concepts like langue and parole, laying the
groundwork for structural linguistics, emphasizing
synchronic aspects over historical aspects.
FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE
(1857-1913)

36. Jakobson, a Russian-American linguist, was a key
figure in structural linguistics and semiotics, co-
founding the Prague School of linguistics. He
contributed to phonology, morphology, syntax,
and poetics, and is known for his communication
theory model, "Jakobson's functions of language."
ROMAN JAKOBSON
(1896-1982)

37. SAPIR-WHORF
HYPOTHESIS

38. SAPIR-WHORF
HYPOTHESIS
Edgar Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf were
linguists who developed the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis, also known as linguistic relativity
or linguistic determinism. This hypothesis
suggests that the structure of a language
influences the way its speakers perceive and
think about the world.

39. Sapir, an American anthropologist-linguist,
emphasized the connection between language,
culture, and thought, proposing that language
influences thought patterns and cultural norms.
Whorf, an American linguist and fire prevention
engineer, argued that language structure
influences speakers' cognitive processes,
perception of reality, and cultural worldview,
expanding Sapir's linguistic relativity.
EDWARD SAPIR
(1884-1939)
BENJAMIN LEE WHORF
(1897-1941)

40. GENERATIVE GRAMMAR
(FORMALISM)

41. GENERATIVE
GRAMMAR
Generative grammar is a formal approach in
linguistics developed by Noam Chomsky, focusing on
describing the underlying structure and rules of
language that generate grammatical sentences. It
aims to uncover the innate linguistic knowledge
present in the human mind that enables speakers to
produce and understand an infinite number of
grammatically correct sentences.

42. KEY FEATURES OF GENERATIVE GRAMMAR
INCLUDE:
Universal Grammar (UG): Chomsky proposed
the existence of a universal grammar, a set of
inherent linguistic principles or rules shared by
all human languages. UG provides a
framework that enables individuals to acquire
language naturally.
1.

43. 2. Transformational-Generative Grammar: This is a
specific framework within generative grammar that
emphasizes the use of transformational rules to
generate and transform sentences from one form to
another. It addresses the hierarchical structure of
sentences and how they are generated.

44. Sapir, an American anthropologist-linguist,
emphasized the connection between language,
culture, and thought, proposing that language
influences thought patterns and cultural norms.
Whorf, an American linguist and fire prevention
engineer, argued that language structure
influences speakers' cognitive processes,
perception of reality, and cultural worldview,
expanding Sapir's linguistic relativity.
EDWARD SAPIR
(1884-1939)
BENJAMIN LEE WHORF
(1897-1941)

45. Studying the history of linguistics provides
invaluable insights into the development of human
language, offering a deep understanding of how
languages evolve and change over time. It allows
us to comprehend the diverse structures and
complexities of different languages, fostering a
richer appreciation of linguistic diversity and
cultural heritage.

46. THANK
YOU