Historical Linguistics

The Newberry Library holdings in linguistics consist primarily of three collections: the Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte Collection, the Edward E. Ayer Indian Linguistics Collection, and the John M. Wing Collection. The Ayer Indian Linguistics Collection is divided into three subcategories found in the online catalog: the Edward E. Ayer North and Middle American Linguistics Collection, the Edward E. Ayer Philippine Linguistics Collection, and the Edward E. Ayer Hawaiian Language Collection.

To find Linguistics in our collection, you can search by Subject in our catalog using the following headings:

Linguistics

Linguistics--American Indian--Bibliography

Linguistics--Aztec Indians

Linguistics--Bibliography

Linguistics--Congresses

Linguistics--Dictionaries

Linguistics--Dictionary--Central American Indian (Other)

Linguistics--Europe--History

You may also search by title or author, if either of these is known.

For items listed as on the 3rd floor Reference shelves, consider browsing nearby shelves for similar materials. All items with a “Ref” call number can be viewed on the open shelves on the 3rd floor. General and Special Collections items must be retrieved by staff.

Fremantle, Anne. A Primer of Linguistics. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1974. Location: Special Collections 4th floor. Call Number: Baskes P25 .F69 1974.

Koerner, E.F.K., and R.E. Asher, eds. Concise History of the Language Sciences: From the Sumerians to the Cognitivists. New York: Pergamon, 1995. Location: General Collection 2nd floor. Call Number: P121 .C585 1995.

Potter, Simeon. Modern Linguistics. [London]: A. Deutsch; Fair Lawn, N.J., Essential Books, [1957]. Location: General Collection 2nd floor. Call Number: X 0 .708.

Seuren, Pieter A. M. Western Linguistics: An Historical Introduction. Oxford, U.K.; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Pub., 1998. Location: General Collection 2nd floor. Call Number: P61 .S48 1998.

Sebeok, Thomas A., ed. Current Trends in Linguistics. The Hague: Mouton, 1963-. Location: General Collection 2nd floor. Call Number: X 009 .8.

Historiographia linguistica. [Amsterdam: J. Benjamins B.V.], 1974-.Location: General Collection 2nd floor. Call Number: P61 .H57.

Collins, Victor. Attempt at a Catalog of the Library of the Late Prince Louis-Lucian Bonaparte. 4 vols. London: Henry Sotheran & Co., 1894. Call number: Ref Z7005 .B69 shelved in checklist area.

Edward E. Ayer Collection. A Bibliographical Check List of North and Middle American Linguistics in the Edward E. Ayer Collection. 2 vols. Chicago: Newberry Library, 1941. Call number: lower case x 1 in General Collection 2nd floor and Z7116 .E38 1941 shelved in checklist area.

Merrill, W. S. and Louis Halladay. English as an International Language, A Selected List of References Compiled by Louis Halladay under the Supervision of W. S. Merrill. Special publication 23. Chicago: The Newberry Library, 1926. Location: General Collection 2nd floor. Call number: Z 79 .N42 no. 23 and x 98 .62.

Nitze, William A. “The New Importance of Linguistics.” The Newberry Library Bulletin 6 (1946): 15-18. Call number: Z881 .C5246b in General Collection 2nd floor and Ref Z881 .C5246 in checklist area.

Taylor, Archer and Fredric J. Mosher. Bibliographical History of Anonyma and Pseudonyma. Chicago: Published for the Newberry Library and the University of Chicago Press, 1951. Location: Reference 3rd floor and General Collection 2nd floor. Call number: Ref Z1041 .T3 and Z 82 .864.

Adam z Veleslavína, Daniel. Sylva qvadrilingvis vocabvlorvm et phrasivm bohemicae, latinæ, græcæ et germanicæ lingvæ: in vsvm stvdiosae ivventvtis scholasticæ, natvrali methodo alphabeti bohemici in ordinem disposita. [Pragæ: Typis Danielis Adami á VVeleslavina], 1598. Location: Special Collections 4th floor. Call Number: Bonaparte 1507.

Bedell, William, translator. Leabhuir na Seintiomna ar na ttarrving go gaidlig tre c̓úram & dútraś an Doctúir Uilliam Bedel ... = The books of the Old Testament / translated into Irish by the care and diligence of Doctor William Bedell, Late Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland, and, for the publick good of that nation. Printed at London: [Moxon?], Anno Dom. MDCLXXXV [1685]. Location: Special Collections 4th floor. Call Number: Case X 8285 .105 and Case BS951 1685 and Bonaparte 7126.

Clynnog, Morys. Athravaeth Gristnogavl: ḷe cair ụedi cynnụys yn grynno’r hoḷ brifbynciau syḍ i gyfarụyḍo dyn ar y phorḍ i baradụys...Ymlen. [i.e. Milan]: [Vincenzo Girardone?], 1568. dyụgụyl. S. Nicolas [i.e. feast of St. Nicholas, 6 Dec.]. Location: Special Collections 4th floor. Call Number: Bonaparte 7924.

Databases

Most of the databases at the Newberry are subscription databases; therefore access is available to registered readers only within the library building. Those listed below are subscription databases.

JSTOR: Provides full-text access to an archive of major scholarly journals. Contains complete runs from their first volumes up through approximately five years ago.

ProjectMuse: Provides full-text access to recent volumes of scholarly journals in the arts and humanities published by Johns Hopkins University Press and journals of other university presses.

For a comprehensive list of all our databases, visit our Databases webpage.

Websites

The SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms provides information in the form of glossaries and bibliographies designed to support fieldwork and linguistic research.

Glottopedia is a freely editable encyclopedia for linguists by linguists.

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