How was language change perceived in different periods of history?

Language change in different periods of history was perceived differently.

Depending on the specific period, language change was accepted differently and
various aspects of language and linguistic change were held important during different
times.

The first language change which occurred during the Sumerian period shows
us that the Hindu grammatical tradition paid close attention to the changes which were
occurring and kept a record of these changes. For 2500 years, Sumerain was still
being learned and these texts could still be read which was mostly administrative lists.
Linguistic traditions arose as responses to linguistic change and religious concerns,
inventories of Sumerian nouns and their Akkadian equivalents were kept as well as
grammatical paradigms between the two. This shows that in this period linguistic
change was immaculately kept track of, so that texts over 2500 years old could still be
understood.Linguistic traditions arose as responses to linguistic change and religious
concerns. Grammar was considered the most scientific of sciences and scholars
aspired to the ideals embodied in Hindu grammatical tradition.
The Greek grammatical tradition as developed by scholmasters, which shows
us that the focus of linguistic change was mainly in education. For example, Homer’s
works were basic in early Greek education but the Greek in 5th and 6th centuries had
changed so much that explainations of Homer’s language were important in the school
curriculum.Themes important in the ancient Greek tradition persisted throughout the
history of linguistics, such as the origin of language, parts of speech (grammatical
categories) and the relation between language and thought. Another focus of linguistic
change was the debate: Relationship between words and their meaning = nature vs.
convention.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Roman linguistics mainly continues Greek
themes. During The Middle Ages, also known as The Dark Ages much of Greek
literature and philosophy was lost. Linguistic work of that period was reduced to
teaching Latin, and most grammars were pedagogical grammars based on Priscian.
This shows us that much importance wasn’t really given to linguistic chance or
language, for that matter.
Arabic grammatical tradition, with its roots in the Greek grammatical tradition
sees the revival and recovery of many lostworks, including Aristotle’s lost writings.
The Arabic language was considered sacred and perfect, which was fueled by the
desire to preserve the integrity of the holy Quran. However, the spoken Arabic of the
8th and 9th century was changing which lead to the development of Arabic
grammatical study. This shows us that scholars turned to researching linguistic change
in order to study and compare those changes, which in turn lead to the formation of
Universal grammar (Aristotle’s view that scientific knowledge is universal or general
and applies to all subject matter, hence universal grammar).
 Hebrew grammatical tradition was mainly concerned with establishing the
correct Hebrew text of the Old Testament and it borrowed descriptive methods from
the Arabic linguistic tradition, which produced 145 works on grammar. This analysis
had a strong impact on Eurpoean linguistics, which, in turn, had an effect on linguistic
change ad the way linguistic change was then perceived.
Speculative grammar was then concerned with ways (modes) of signifying.
Modistae integrated the Aristotelain philosophy into Catholic theology, whilst early
Christian writers returned to the philosophical themes of Aristotel, and classic Latin
grammars were adapted to Church education. Linguistic change then charged
grammarians with the job of explaining how intellect created a system of grammar,
and grammar was understood to be underwritten by the structure of the Universe.
The 16th century brought along the revival of philosophical grammar in 16th
century, whilst 17th century language studies were based on new theories of cognition
and the philosophy of language, and finally, comparative linguistics came to have Indo-
European languages as its main concern.

Different periods of history perceived language change differently, and without

those changes and the way said changes were perceived, language as we know it
today wouldn’t be the same.

Amina Pandzic
27.11.2019.god
Savremene lingvisticke teorije