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Artwork for History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences

History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences

James McElvenny
Linguistics
Generative Grammar
Cold War
Semiotics
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
A History Of Modern Linguistics
Charles Sanders Peirce
Noam Chomsky
Language Universals
Conversation Analysis
Ethno-Methodology
Language Learning
Structuralism
Pragmatism
Piraha
Politics
Neo-Grammarians
Migration
Generative Linguistics
Multimodal Language

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

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes61Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistoryPhilosophy

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Artwork for History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences

Latest Episodes

In this interview, we talk to Anna Wierzbicka about her life and research into semantics.

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Intro and outro: Von Wegen Lisbeth, “Podcast“

References for Episode 59

Apresjan, Juri. 2000. Systematic Lexic... more

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In this interview, we talk to Ryan Nefdt about the light latest work in “artificial intelligence” can cast on questions of linguistic relativity.

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Intro and outro: Von Wegen Lisbeth, “Podcast”

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In this interview, we talk to Brigitte Nerlich about her career in the history of linguistics and the public understanding of science

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Intro and outro: Jean Ferrat, “Un cheval fou dans un grand magasin“ more

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In this interview, we talk to Nick Enfield about his research into the connections between linguistic signs and concepts.

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Intro and outro: Von Wegen Lisbeth, “Podcast”

Image from Nick Enfield’s website... more

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Recent Guests

Ryan Nefdt
Professor of philosophy at the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Episode: Podcast episode 58: Ryan Nefdt on linguistic relativity and AI
Brigitte Nerlich
Scholar in the history of semantics and pragmatics; interdisciplinary researcher
Episode: Podcast episode 57: Brigitte Nerlich
Nick Enfield
Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Episode: Podcast episode 56: Nick Enfield on linguistic signs and concepts
Janette Friedrich
Philosophy and history of human sciences scholar
Episode: Podcast episode 55: Janette Friedrich
Neil Cohn
Professor of Cognitive Science, University of Tilburg; author of multimodal language theory
Tilburg University
Episode: Podcast episode 54: Neil Cohn on Speaking in Pictures
Paul Kiparsky
Professor at Stanford University; expert on Panini
Stanford University
Episode: Podcast episode 53: Paul Kiparsky on Pāṇini
Gereon Müller
Author of Lanes to Language
Leipzig University
Episode: Podcast episode 52: Gereon Müller on Lanes to Language
Martin Haspelmath
Linguist, Max Planck Institute; leading typologist
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Episode: Podcast episode 51: Martin Haspelmath
Gerda Haßler
German linguist specializing in Romanistik and the history of linguistics
Potsdam University (historical)
Episode: Podcast episode 50: Gerda Haßler

Host

James McElvenny
Host of the History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences podcast, discussing key themes in linguistics and philosophy as they relate to historical contexts.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 71 ratings
  • Great podcast on the history of the language sciences

    Superb podcast covering mostly academic linguistics and connections to philosophy.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JJRev
    Australia4 years ago
  • Great linguistic podcast

    Tells the modern, mainly academic, history of linguistics from a theoretical viewpoint, precisely articulated and clear, hope it continues.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pmv10001
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Reviews highlight the podcast's clarity and articulate nature, making complex linguistic theories understandable to a broader audience.
Listeners appreciate the exploration of academic linguistics and its historical connections to philosophy, expressing a strong interest in the well-curated discussions with notable scholars.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#204
South Korea/History
Apple Podcasts
#225
Israel/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Podcast episode 54: Neil Cohn on Speaking in Pictures
Q: So, Neil, could you outline your theory for us? What are the links between visual art and language?
Cohn explains that humans express concepts through three primary modalities—speech, gesture, and graphics—and that these share cognitive building blocks. He argues for a multimodal language faculty where graphics are not simply a metaphorical mapping to language but a legitimate, structurally similar system with its own grammar and semantics. He introduces the ideas of omnia, semia, and sequentia to classify modalities based on expression, grammar, and meaning, concluding that all three modalities are part of one overarching cognitive architecture.
Podcast episode 51: Martin Haspelmath
Q: Okay. So what exactly is the tension between description and comparison?
The tension arises because descriptive categories used by field linguists to describe a language can differ from the comparative categories used in cross-language analysis, leading to debates on how to bridge these approaches.
Podcast episode 51: Martin Haspelmath
Q: So what is typology, then?
Typology is about comparing languages that are not necessarily related to identify patterns and potential universal generalizations, expanding beyond European languages to a global perspective.
Podcast episode 51: Martin Haspelmath
Q: So my first question to you is, can you tell us how you got into linguistics?
He describes an early fascination with languages, heritage languages, and polyglot interests that guided him toward historical linguistics before transitioning into typology and universal patterns.
Podcast episode 55: Janette Friedrich
Q: Und wie bist du nach Frankreich gekommen?
Nach der Wende erhielt sie ein temporäres Forschungsstipendium von der französischen Regierung; Pierre Bourdieu unterstützte sie, und sie verbrachte ein Jahr in Paris, wo sie in seine Forschungsgruppe aufgenommen wurde und französisch lernte.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content focuses on the rich intersections between language, history, and philosophy, examining how linguistic theories and their development have been influenced by cultural and societal changes over time. Episodes feature prominent linguists and scholars discussing their personal journeys in academia, key historical figures, and seminal works in linguistics. Notable discussions reveal how linguistic practices have evolved, particularly during significant historical events, and the implications of this evolution on modern language sciences. The podcast uniquely combines academic rigor with engaging storytelling, making complex concepts accessible to a wider audience while fostering a deeper understanding of historical linguistics and it... more

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1. Lingthusiasm - A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics
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4. The LRB Podcast
5. Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

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this podcast launched 6 years ago and published 61 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Ryan Nefdt
2. Brigitte Nerlich
3. Nick Enfield
4. Janette Friedrich
5. Neil Cohn
6. Paul Kiparsky
7. Gereon Müller
8. Martin Haspelmath

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