On Sapir's Principles of Historical Linguistics (I) : An Interpretation on Sapir's View of Language Contact

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  • E.サピア『言語』(1921)の言語史原理(前篇) : 「第9章 言語はどのように相互影響しあうか」解読
  • E.サピア 『 ゲンゴ 』(1921)ノ ゲンゴシ ゲンリ(ゼンペン)「 ダイ9ショウ ゲンゴ ワ ドノ ヨウ ニ ソウゴ エイキョウ シアウ カ 」 カイドク

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Abstract

This paper is an attempt to examine the Sapir's view on the language contact, particularly referring to the chapter 9 of E. Sapir's Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech (1921). Sapir expounds his view on the history of language in chapter 7, 8 and 9. He explains historical characteristics of one particular language, i.e. English, in chapter 7, and those of two relative languages, i.e. English and German, and finally the universal features noticeable in all human languages in chapter 8. In chapter 9, the final chapter with regard to the historical study of language, Sapir gives his view on the problems of the language contact (=borrowing). Borrowing from foreign languages has been regarded as one of the so-called three methods in the nineteenth century historical-comparative linguistics: i.e., sound change, analogy and borrowing. Sapir, however, insists that borrowing has nothing but secondary significance in comparison with the other two methods, because foreign elements are borrowed only if such elements are adjusted to the target language, while the other two methods, i.e. sound change and analogy are always and unrestrictedly active and ready to work.

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