Bertrand Russell, Language and Linguistic Theory

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Although there has been a significant revival in interest in Bertrand Russell's work in recent years, most professional philosophers would still argue that Russell was not interested in language. Here, in the first full-length study of Russell's work on language throughout his long career, Keith Green shows that this is in fact not the case.In examining Russell'swork, particularly from 1900 to 1950, Green exposesa repeated emphasis on, and turn to, linguistic considerations. Green considers how 'linguistics' and 'philosophy' were struggling in the twentieth century to define themselves and to create appropriate contemporary disciplines. They had much in common during certain periods, yet seemed to continue in almost total ignorance of one another. This negative relation has been noted in the past by Roy Harris, whose work provides some of the inspiration for the present book. Taking those two aspects, Green's aimhere is to provide the first full-length consideration of Russell's varied work in language, and to read it in the context of developing contemporary (i.e. with Russell's work) linguistic theory.

The main aims of this important newbook, in focusing exclusively on Russell's work on language throughout his career, are to place Russell within the changing contexts of contemporary linguistic thought; to read Russell's language-theories against the grain of his own linguistic practice; to assess the relationship between linguistic and philosophical thought during Russell's career, and to reassess his place in the history of linguistic thought in the twentieth century. As such, this fascinating study will make a vital contribution to Russell studies and to the study of the relationship between philosophy and linguistics.

Reviews

Mention - Chronicle of Higher Education, March 7, 2008
"The nature of Green's project means that...his intended audience does not consist solely of philosophers and linguists but also embraces literary theorists...the book's main thesis is clear and persuasive, making a valuable contribution to Russell scholarship." - Graham Stevens, Russell: the Journal of Bertrand Russell Studies, Summer 2008 -- Graham Stevens
"Russell's insistence on incorporating his principle of acquaintance (the principle that a logically proper name can only be understood by one acquainted with its referent) into his theory of reference ties this thesis to his notorious sense-date epistemology and this has distracted most commentators from an examination of his semantic theory for indexical expressions. Green is to be highly commended for resisting the distraction and remaining focused on assessing the semantic theory...Green's book performs a valuable service by exposing this inadequacy of the all-too-common interpretation of Russell as a philosopher opposed to the philosophical study of natural language." British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 2009

Author Bio

Keith Green is Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and English at Sheffield Hallam University. His previous publications include Critical Theory and Practice (with Jill LeBihan, Routledge, 1995).