Theory of language: a taxonomy

Abstract The study of language has been historically proposed as a model for human sciences. For the structuralists, it is because languages, like society, and cultural habits, are man-made rule-based systems. Darwinists, cultures societies living species, can be studied with biological methodology. Sociology, biology linguistics considered analogous in different ways. To support work theoretical applied linguistics, this paper discusses problem nature language, investigating how question “What language?” approached from angles. Textbook answers guide us many directions: tool communication—and thinking. It collection words instructions to use them. characteristic which—arguably—separates humans other animals. social construction, system symbols, systems, so on. classify perspectives, intellectual history schools linguistic thought examined, connecting theory related disciplines. A taxonomy based on two axes: humanistic versus biological; historical systemic. Main frameworks identified placed into fourfold table these axes. They include Bloomfieldian school (Type 1); Saussurean structuralism its derivatives 2); generative grammar biolinguistics 3); cognitive‒evolutionary 4).