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Article published In: Historiographia Linguistica
Vol. 42:1 (2015) ► pp.107–118

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American Linguists Look at Swiss Linguistics, 1925–1940

 | University of Washington
Published online: 26 May 2015
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https://doi.org/10.1075/hl.42.1.06new
Summary
Swiss linguistic research did not have a major impact on American linguistics in the inter-war period. Nevertheless, there was a perhaps surprising awareness of the results of Swiss scholars among American linguists active in that period. This paper documents both their numerous references to the work of the linguists of the Geneva School as well as the recognition given to Swiss scholars in general by the Linguistic Society of America.
Résumé
Les recherches linguistiques suisses n’ont pas eu d’importantes répercussions sur la linguistique américaine dans l’entre-deux-guerres. Toutefois, à cette époque, on peut faire état d’une connaissance, peut-être surprenante, des résultats des chercheurs suisses parmi les linguistes américains. Cet article analyse les nombreux renvois aux travaux de linguistes appartenant à l’école de Genève ainsi que la reconnaissance accordée aux savants suisses par la Linguistic Society of America.
Zusammenfassung
In den Jahren zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen hatte die Sprachforschung in der Schweiz keinen besonderen Einfluss auf die amerikanische Linguistik. Es mag daher überraschen, dass amerikanische Sprachwissenschaftler die Ergebnisse der Arbeit schweizer Sprachwissenschaftler zu jener Zeit durchaus zur Kenntnis nahmen. Das beweisen nicht nur die zahlreichen Verweise auf Arbeiten der Mitglieder der Genfer Schule, sondern auch deren Anerkennung durch die Linguistic Society of America.
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