Firth, J. R.
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| − | + | '''John Rupert Firth''' (1890, [[Keighley]], [[Yorkshire]] – 1960), commonly known as J. R. Firth, was an [[England|English]] linguist. He was Professor of English at the [[University of the Punjab]] from 1919-1928. He then worked in the phonetics department of [[University College London]] before moving to the [[School of Oriental and African Studies]], where he became Professor of General Linguistics, a position he held until his retirement in 1956. | |
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| − | '''John Rupert Firth''' ( | ||
==Contributions to linguistics== | ==Contributions to linguistics== | ||
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: an approach to linguistic analysis based on the view that language patterns cannot be accounted for in terms of a single system of analytic principles and categories[...]but that different systems may need to be set up at different places within a given level of description. | : an approach to linguistic analysis based on the view that language patterns cannot be accounted for in terms of a single system of analytic principles and categories[...]but that different systems may need to be set up at different places within a given level of description. | ||
| − | Firth is noted for drawing attention to the context-dependent nature of meaning with his notion of 'context of situation'. His work on [[prosody (linguistics)|prosody]], which he | + | The term '''phonestheme''' (or '''phonaestheme''' in British English) was coined in 1930 by Firth (from the Greek ''phone'', "sound," and ''aisthanomai'', "perceive") to label the systematic pairing of form and meaning in a [[language]]. A phonestheme is different from a [[morpheme]] because it does not meet the normal criterion of [[compositionality]]. |
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| + | Firth is noted for drawing attention to the context-dependent nature of meaning with his notion of 'context of situation'. His work on [[prosody (linguistics)|prosody]], which he emphasized at the expense of the [[phoneme|phonemic principle]], prefigured later work in [[autosegmental phonology]]. | ||
==The 'London School'== | ==The 'London School'== | ||
| − | As a teacher in the University of London for more than 20 years, Firth influenced a generation of British linguists. The popularity of his ideas among contemporaries gave rise to what was known as the 'London School' of linguistics. Among Firth's students, the so-called neo-Firthians were exemplified by [[Michael Halliday]], who was Professor of General Linguistics in the University of London from 1965 until 1970 | + | As a teacher in the University of London for more than 20 years, Firth influenced a generation of British linguists. The popularity of his ideas among contemporaries gave rise to what was known as the 'London School' of linguistics. Among Firth's students, the so-called neo-Firthians were exemplified by [[Michael Halliday]], who was Professor of General Linguistics in the University of London from 1965 until 1970. |
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==Selected publications== | ==Selected publications== | ||
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== External links == | == External links == | ||
* [http://www.englang.ed.ac.uk/people/firth.pdf Biographical article on J.R. Firth] | * [http://www.englang.ed.ac.uk/people/firth.pdf Biographical article on J.R. Firth] | ||
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{{Credits|J._R._Firth|109180122|}} | {{Credits|J._R._Firth|109180122|}} | ||
Revision as of 15:18, 6 October 2007
John Rupert Firth (1890, Keighley, Yorkshire – 1960), commonly known as J. R. Firth, was an English linguist. He was Professor of English at the University of the Punjab from 1919-1928. He then worked in the phonetics department of University College London before moving to the School of Oriental and African Studies, where he became Professor of General Linguistics, a position he held until his retirement in 1956.
Contributions to linguistics
Firth developed an idiosyncratic view of linguistics that has given rise to the adjective 'Firthian'. Central to this view is the idea of polysystematism. David Crystal describes this as:
- an approach to linguistic analysis based on the view that language patterns cannot be accounted for in terms of a single system of analytic principles and categories[...]but that different systems may need to be set up at different places within a given level of description.
The term phonestheme (or phonaestheme in British English) was coined in 1930 by Firth (from the Greek phone, "sound," and aisthanomai, "perceive") to label the systematic pairing of form and meaning in a language. A phonestheme is different from a morpheme because it does not meet the normal criterion of compositionality.
Firth is noted for drawing attention to the context-dependent nature of meaning with his notion of 'context of situation'. His work on prosody, which he emphasized at the expense of the phonemic principle, prefigured later work in autosegmental phonology.
The 'London School'
As a teacher in the University of London for more than 20 years, Firth influenced a generation of British linguists. The popularity of his ideas among contemporaries gave rise to what was known as the 'London School' of linguistics. Among Firth's students, the so-called neo-Firthians were exemplified by Michael Halliday, who was Professor of General Linguistics in the University of London from 1965 until 1970.
Selected publications
- Speech (1930) London: Benn's Sixpenny Library.
- The Tongues of Men (1937) London: Watts & Co.
- Papers in Linguistics 1934-1951 (1957) London: Oxford University Press.
External links
Credits
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