بداية اللسانيات الحديثة و السياق الكلونيالي : نحو لسانيات ما بعد الكولونيالية

Abstract EN

The paper examines some of the ideological issues that frame the founding moment of modern linguistics.

Sir William Jones’ discourses and essays manifest a linguistic erudition which on the one hand leads to the founding of the comparative and historical method, which remained the cornerstone of much of the scholarship in the field during the 19th century, but on the other hand, they are clearly rooted in the cultural and religious biases of the European tradition.

As the initial perspectives are further developed by later linguists and philosophers under a broad umbrella of the ‘Indo-European’ notion, these ideological biases consolidate in the form of an affinity with the Hindu Indian tradition and simultaneously a rejection and exclusion of the Semitic cultures and peoples, Jews and Muslims, from European and Indian mainstream respectively.

The philosophical and political responses to these scholarly movements, and the associated political repercussions are briefly indicated.