History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences

History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences explores the history of the study of language in its varied social and cultural contexts.

Podcast episode 49: Fritz Newmeyer

In this interview, Fritz Newmeyer discusses linguistics, history of linguistics, and politics. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 49 Newmeyer, Frederick J. 1986 [1980]. Linguistic Theory in America, 2nd edition. Orlando: Academic Press. Newmeyer, Frederick…Read more ›

09-30
31:03

Podcast episode 48: A History of Modern Linguistics

In this interview, Randy Harris interviews James McElvenny about his recent book A History of Modern Linguistics. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 48 McElvenny, James. 2024. A History of Modern Linguistics: From the beginnings…Read more ›

09-14
28:37

Podcast episode 47: Geoff Pullum on Geoff Pullum

In this interview, we talk to Geoff Pullum about his career, his contributions to linguistics, and how he sees the future of the field. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 47 Huddleston, Rodney, and Geoffrey…Read more ›

08-31
32:54

Podcast episode 46: Philip Kraut on Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

In this interview, we talk to Philip Kraut about the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, their scholarly contributions and political engagement. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 46 See Wikisource for scans of the Grimms’…Read more ›

04-30
32:05

Podcast episode 45: Beijia Chen on Neogrammarian networks

In this interview, we talk to Beijia Chen about the citation networks binding the Neogrammarians as a school. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 45 Amsterdamska, Olga. 1985. “Institutions and Schools of Thought: The Neogrammarians.”…Read more ›

03-31
29:37

Podcast episode 44: Ian Stewart on the Celts and historical-comparative linguistics

In this interview, we talk to Ian Stewart about modern ideas surrounding the Celts and how these relate to historical-comparative linguistics. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 44 Crump, Margaret, James Cowles Prichard of the…Read more ›

02-28
25:05

Podcast episode 43: Judy Kaplan on universals

In this interview, we talk to Judy Kaplan about universals in American linguistics of the mid-20th century. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 43 Emmon Bach & Robert T. Harms, Universals in Linguistic Theory (New York: Holt,…Read more ›

11-30
27:03

Podcast episode 42: Randy Harris on the Linguistics Wars

In this interview, we talk to Randy Harris about the controversies surrounding the generative semantics movement in American linguistics of the 1960s and 70s. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 42 Chomsky, N. (2015/1965). Aspects of…Read more ›

10-31
30:48

Podcast episode 41: Chris Knight on Chomsky, science and politics

In this interview, we talk to Chris Knight about Chomsky, pure science and the US military-industrial complex. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube References for Episode 41 Radical Anthropology Group. YouTube channel | Vimeo channel Allot, Nicholas, Chris…Read more ›

08-31
25:55

Podcast episode 40: Interview with Nick Riemer on politics, linguistics and ideology

In this interview, we talk to Nick Riemer about how linguistic theory and political ideology can interact. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts References for Episode 40 Ahmed, Sara. 2012. On being included: Racism and diversity in institutional life. Durham,…Read more ›

05-31
27:11

Podcast episode 39: Interview with Ingrid Piller on Life in a New Language

In this interview, we talk to Ingrid Piller about her forthcoming co-authored book Life in a New Language. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts References for Episode 39 Kachru, Braj B. 1985. ‘Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism:…Read more ›

04-30
26:10

Podcast episode 38: Interview with Dan Everett on C.S. Peirce and Peircean linguistics

In this interview, we talk to Dan Everett about the life and work of the American pragmatist philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce and Everett’s application of Peirce’s ideas to create a Peircean linguistics. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google…Read more ›

03-31
23:47

Podcast episode 37: Interview with Michael Lynch on conversation analysis and ethnomethodology

In this interview, we talk to Michael Lynch about the history of conversation analysis and its connections to ethnomethodology. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts References for Episode 37 Button, Graham, Michael Lynch and Wes Sharrock (2022) Ethnomethodology,…Read more ›

02-29
27:22

Podcast housekeeping December 2023

In this brief audio clip, we provide an update on what’s been happening with the podcast – and what’s coming up. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts McElvenny, James. 2024. A History of Modern Linguistics: From the…Read more ›

11-30
01:13

Podcast episode 36: Interview with Ghil‘ad Zuckermann on revivalistics

In this interview, we talk to Ghil‘ad Zuckermann about language reclamation and revival in Australia and around the world. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts References for Episode 36 The Barngarla trinity: people, language, land. The Barngarla…Read more ›

09-30
30:04

Podcast episode 35: Interview with Nick Thieberger on historical documentation and archiving

In this interview, we talk to Nick Thieberger about the value of historical documentation for linguistic research, and how this documentation can be preserved and made accessible today and in the future in digital form. Download | Spotify | Apple…Read more ›

07-31
22:23

Podcast episode 34: Interview with Mary Laughren on Central Australia languages and Ken Hale

In this episode, we talk to Mary Laughren about research into the languages of Central Australia in the mid-twentieth century, with a focus on the contributions of American linguist Ken Hale. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts…Read more ›

06-30
24:56

Podcast episode 33: Formalism and distributionalism

In this episode, we examine the formalist aspects of the linguistic work of Edward Sapir and Leonard Bloomfield, and see how their methods were turned into the doctrines of distributionalism by the following generation. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts…Read more ›

05-31
21:56

Podcast episode 32: Leonard Bloomfield and behaviourism

In this episode, we discuss the leading American linguist Leonard Bloomfield and his connections to the psychological school of behaviourism and the philosophical doctrines of logical positivism. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts References for Episode 32…Read more ›

04-30
20:22

Podcast episode 31: The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

In this episode, we explore the historical background to linguistic relativity or the so-called ‘Sapir-Whorf hypothesis’. Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts References for Episode 31 Primary sources Boas, Franz, ed. (1911), Handbook of American Indian Languages,…Read more ›

03-31
30:31

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