protolinguisticsn.
/ˌprəʊtə(ʊ)lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/, U.S. /ˌproʊdoʊˌlɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/ The branch of linguistics that deals with the development of language from non-verbal communication; the study of proto-languages. Also (occasionally): an early form of linguistics (cf. proto- comb. form 1a).
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the mind > language > linguistics > other schools of linguistics > [noun] > protolinguistics
reconstruction1884
protolinguistics1973
1973 Language 49 681 The universe of many of the early philosophers seems almost to have centered on language, and much of the best of subsequent philosophizing, at least in Europe, had a conspicuous element of ‘proto-linguistics’.
1975 M. Critchley in E. H. & E. Lenneberg Foundations Lang. Devel. I. i. 6 One point must..be kept well to the fore when ruminating upon this topic of protolinguistics. From an anatomic, physiological angle, speech is a parasitic function.
1997 I. Hegedüs in R. Blench & M. Spriggs Archeol. & Lang. I. 69 Palaeolinguistic reconstruction is based on the systemic comparison of proto-languages established by protolinguistics.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1973