Elements of Analysis of the Language [ LFILO1130 ]

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The course covers the fundamental concepts developed in the philosophical study of the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic dimensions of the language. It aims to introduce certain trends in contemporary language philosophy (pragmatism, analytical philosophy, philosophy of ordinary language, phenomenology, structuralism, hermeneutics etc.) and to put them in a historical perspective. It aims to develop certain philosophical debates on language by highlighting the epistemological and normative issues of the different opposing positions.

The aim of the course is to provide an introduction to the different ways of tackling the question of language from a philosophical perspective.

By the end of the course, students will be able to tackle the different trends, concepts and issues in the philosophy of language in a critical way; they will be able to reassess them from a historical viewpoint; they will be able to build an analysis of the different possible relations between the philosophy of language and the main disciplines of philosophy.

They will gain an understanding of the link with the study of language in three main parts: grammar, logic and rhetoric or syntax, semantics and pragmatics.

They will also gain conceptual understanding of the major concepts in the philosophy of language.

Finally, they will be able to assess the questions posed by modern philosophy of language in the light of the main topics in ancient, medieval or modern traditions.

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The course starts with a review of the traditional tripartition of the study of  language in grammar, logic and rhetoric, or in syntax, semantics and pragmatics.

Then, it studies the nature of  language and indicates certain functions of it. With regard to nature, it insists on the distinctions between languages and  faculty of language, and artificial language and natural language. Various conceptions of the function of  language are presented:  language as a  tool of analysis of thought and reality;    language as  a communication tool;  language as  a form  of action: performatives and speech acts.

The central part of the course is devoted to the examination of the differences between  grammatical analysis and logico-philosophical analysis , which includes a presentation and a comparison of  (onto) logical  categories and  grammatical  categories,  and also of logical and grammatical  structures.

The course ends by drawing a parallel between old analysis, as present in the theory of the syllogisms, and contemporary analysis.

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