Prague linguistic circle
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| - | In [[linguistics]], the '''topic''' (or '''theme''') is informally what is being talked about, and the '''comment''' ('''rheme''' or '''focus''') is what is being said about the topic. Although this general nature of topic–comment dichotomy is generally accepted, anything beyond that is a matter of great controversy. | + | :''[[French Structuralism]]'' |
| + | The '''Prague Linguistic Circle''' or "'''Prague school'''" ([[French language|French]] ''Cercle linguistique de Prague'', [[Czech language|Czech]] ''Pražský lingvistický kroužek'') was an influential group of [[literary critic]]s and [[linguistics|linguist]]s in [[Prague]]. Its proponents developed methods of [[semiotic literary criticism|structuralist literary analysis]] during the years 1928–1939. It has had significant continuing influence on [[linguistics]] and [[semiotics]]. After [[World War II]], the circle was disbanded but the Prague School continued as a major force in [[linguistic functionalism]]. | ||
| - | The distinction was probably first suggested by [[Henri Weil]] in 1844. | + | The Prague linguistic circle included Russian emigrés such as [[Roman Jakobson]], [[Nikolai Trubetzkoy]], and [[Sergei Karcevskiy]], as well as the famous Czech literary scholars [[René Wellek]] and [[Jan Mukařovský]]. The instigator of the circle and its first president was the eminent [[Czech people|Czech]] linguist [[Vilém Mathesius]] (President of PLC until his death in 1945). |
| - | [[Georg von der Gabelentz]] distinguished '''psychological subject''' (roughly topic) and | + | |
| - | '''psychological object''' (roughly focus). In the [[Prague school]], the | + | |
| - | dichotomy, termed '''topic–focus articulation''', has been studied mainly by [[Vilém Mathesius]], [[Jan Firbas]], [[František Daneš]], [[Petr Sgall]] and [[Eva Hajičová]]. They have been concerned | + | |
| - | mainly by its relation to intonation and word-order. The work of | + | |
| - | [[Michael Halliday]] in the 1960s is probably responsible for bringing the ideas to [[Functional grammar|Functional Grammar]]. | + | |
| - | Note that in some categorizations, topic refers only to the contrastive theme and comment to the noncontrastive theme + rheme. | + | The group's work before World War II was published in the ''Travaux Linguistiques'' and its theses outlined in a collective contribution to the World's Congress of Slavists. The ''Travaux'' were briefly resurrected in the 1960s with a special issue on the concept of [[Postcolonialism|center and periphery]] and are now being published again by John Benjamins. The group's Czech work is published in ''Slovo a slovesnost''. English translations of the Circle's seminal works were published by the Czech linguist [[Josef Vachek]] in several collections. |
| - | ==See also== | + | == See also == |
| - | *[[Topic-prominent language]] | + | * [[Moscow linguistic circle]] |
| - | *[[Focus (linguistics)]] | + | * [[OPOJAZ]] |
| - | *[[Thematic equative]] | + | * [[Russian formalism]] |
| - | *[[Topic particle]] | + | * [[Czech studies]] |
| - | *[[Predicate (grammar)]] | + | |
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The Prague Linguistic Circle or "Prague school" (French Cercle linguistique de Prague, Czech Pražský lingvistický kroužek) was an influential group of literary critics and linguists in Prague. Its proponents developed methods of structuralist literary analysis during the years 1928–1939. It has had significant continuing influence on linguistics and semiotics. After World War II, the circle was disbanded but the Prague School continued as a major force in linguistic functionalism.
The Prague linguistic circle included Russian emigrés such as Roman Jakobson, Nikolai Trubetzkoy, and Sergei Karcevskiy, as well as the famous Czech literary scholars René Wellek and Jan Mukařovský. The instigator of the circle and its first president was the eminent Czech linguist Vilém Mathesius (President of PLC until his death in 1945).
The group's work before World War II was published in the Travaux Linguistiques and its theses outlined in a collective contribution to the World's Congress of Slavists. The Travaux were briefly resurrected in the 1960s with a special issue on the concept of center and periphery and are now being published again by John Benjamins. The group's Czech work is published in Slovo a slovesnost. English translations of the Circle's seminal works were published by the Czech linguist Josef Vachek in several collections.
See also
