A Course of Lectures on the Theory of Language, and Universal Grammar (Cambridge Library Collection - Linguistics)

The English polymath Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) wrote on a wide range of scientific, theological and pedagogical subjects. In 1761, he produced the influential textbook Rudiments of English Grammar (also reissued in this series). The following year, having taken up a teaching position at Warrington Academy, he released this outline of nineteen lectures on a variety of linguistic topics. Although it was not published, it was distributed to other dissenting academies. Intended to give teachers a starting point when discussing 'the art of language' in its diverse forms, the lectures range from articulation and the alphabet to comparative linguistics, syntax, metre and the evolution of language. Along with its companion work, it established Priestley as one of the leading grammarians and educators of his time. Modern readers will gain a deeper understanding of his drive to increase and share knowledge of how and why speech and writing served their purpose.

Publisher: Cambridge Library Collection

Published: United Kingdom, 23 March 2013

Format: Paperback, 318 pages

Age Range: 15+

Other Information: black & white illustrations

Dimensions: 21.6 x 14 x 1.8 centimeters (0.43 kg)

Writer: Joseph Priestley

Table of ContentsAdvertisement; Introduction; 1. Of articulation, the nature and use of it; 2. Of the origin of letters, whether divine or not; 3. Of hieroglyphics, etc.; 4. The general distribution of words into classes; 5. Of nouns, etc.; 6. Of adjectives; 7. Of verbs; 8. Of tenses; 9. Of adverbs, etc.; 10. Of derivation and composition of words; 11. Of the concatenation of sentences; 12. Of the regular growth and corruption of languages from internal causes; 13. Of the origin and complex structure of the Greek and Latin languages; 14. A multiplicity of inflections; 15. Of the revolutions of languages from external causes; 16. Of metrical composition; 17. Observations on the different properties of language; 18. A comparison of different languages; 19. Of the origin of diversity of languages; Errata.

Promotional InformationPriestley's 1762 outline for nineteen lectures on linguistic topics ranging from articulation and the alphabet to syntax and metre.