The History of Linguistics

Linguistics has passed through three successive phases before coming to terms with its one and only true object of study. First came grammar, then philology - now we come to the third period. Linguistic structure is not the central concern of philology. Phil y seeks primarily to establish, interpret and comment on texts. This main preoccupation leads to a concern with literary history, customs, institutions, et cetera. Is is what opens up into modern linguistics, philosophy of languagean semiology or semiotics.