ANTICIPATING "GLOSSEMATICS"

HJELMSLEV, LOUIS.

Principes de grammaire générale.

København, Høst & Søn, 1928. 8vo. Uncut in the original printed wrappers. A bit of minor wear to extremities and a bit of wear to spine. An excellent, very nice and clean copy. 362, (1 - errata) pp.

The rare first edition of Hjelmslev's first major book, in which he anticipates many of the views that led to the foundation of the seminal theory of language "Glossematics" which he framed together with H.J. Uldall. This foundational work treats the general laws of the formation of language and is an invaluable source for the understanding of Hjelmslev's linguistic theories.

Hjelmslev had studied comparatvive linguistics in Copenhagen, Prague and Paris, when in 1931 he co-founded the "Cercle Linguistique de Copenhague", also known as the "Copenhagen School of Linguistics" with Viggo Brøndal (1887-1942). Hjelmslev's linguistic theories formed the basis of this seminal school, which soon became one of the most important centres of structuralism in the world. The single most important cornerstone of this internationally highly influential school was the new theory on language that Hjelmslev had developed together with Hans-Jørgen Uldall. This theory consisted in the double duality of the linguistic sign and is now known as "Glossematics", a now generally used term, which was coined by the two. "Glossematics" represents an attempt to analyze the contents and the form of language on a coherent basis. Hjelmslev's theories of semiotics became hugely influential, and virtually all of the greatest European thinkers interested in language and theories of language throughout the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s were hugely influenced by Hjemslev, whose theories remain of seminal character to this day.

Order-nr.: 41377