What is Historical Linguistics?

The term "historical linguistics" refers to the study of languages as they have evolved from past to present, which often includes periods of time that pre-date the art of writing -- i.e., requiring "reconstruction" of forgotten languages lacking written records, but which gave rise to languages in which texts were (and perhaps still are) written. It all began, as legend has it, with Sir William Jones. On February 2, 1786, Sir William Jones -- a British judge in India who studied oriental languages and literature -- delivered a lecture in Calcutta entitled "The Third Anniversary Discourse, on the Hindus," in which he outlined his growing belief that certain languages spoken from India to the European Atlantic shores were related by virtue of having a common ancestor, just as Italian and French had evolved from Latin, and English from an older Germanic tongue. His Discourse and other writings ignited an academic interest in the evolutionary history of languages that continues to this ...  more