Linguistic Theory by Robert-Alain De Beaugrande

Linguistic Theory by Robert-Alain De Beaugrande

In Linguistic Theory, Robert de Beaugrande analyses linguistic theories not as abstract ideas or theses, but as the process and product of theoretical discourse. He argues that the best documentation of this discourse can be found in the 'fundamental' works of major linguists from Ferdinand de Saussure to Teun van Dijk and Walter Kintsch. He therefore employs the highly unusual strategy of a close reading of these works as discourse performances and strives to uncover their main points and characteristic moves in the linguist's own words. Through this approach, the reader is able to appreciate and understand the variety and controversy among linguistic theories as they have emerged and developed in interaction with each other. Special scrutiny is allocated to the issue of how far the active practice of the linguists followed their own theories and proposals, and why. The author concludes by assessing the prospects for linguistics to be drawn from the retrospect in the previous chapters.

"This is a magnificent contribution to an understanding of the development of linguistic theory in this centuryOne of the tragedies in the teaching of linguistics during the past fifteen years has been the lack of an historical perspective, which Robert de Beaugrande has now tried to rectify by a sound approach to a better understanding of where we have come from and where we are going."

Eugene Nida

"It's something we've been waiting for. The scope is huge."

Dwight Bolinger

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780582037250
ISBN 10	0582037255
Title	Linguistic Theory
Author	Robert-Alain De Beaugrande
Series	Longman Linguistics Library
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Taylor & Francis Ltd
Year published	1991-10-14
Number of pages	412
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.