Marxism and Problems of Linguistics - From Marx to Mao

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tinues for hundreds of years. There can therefore be noquestion of explosion here.Further, it would be quite wrong to think that the crossingof, say, two languages results in a new, third language whichdoes not resemble either of the languages crossed and differsqualitatively from both of them. As a matter of fact oneof the languages usually emerges victorious from the cross,retains its grammatical system and its basic word stock andcontinues to develop in accordance with its inherent lawsof development, while the other language gradually loses itsquality and gradually dies away.Consequently, a cross does not result in some new, thirdlanguage; one of the languages persists, retains its grammaticalsystem and basic word stock and is able to develop inaccordance with its inherent laws of development.True, in the process the vocabulary of the victorious languageis somewhat enriched from the vanquished language,but this strengthens rather than weakens it.Such was the case, for instance, with the Russian language,with which, in the course of historical development, the languagesof a number of other peoples crossed and whichalways emerged the victor.Of course, in the process the vocabulary of the Russianlanguage was enlarged at the expense of the vocabulariesof the other languages, but far from weakening, this enrichedand strengthened the Russian language.As to the specific national individuality of the Russianlanguage, it did not suffer in the slightest, because the Russianlanguage preserved its grammatical system and basicword stock and continued to advance and perfect itself inaccordance with its inherent laws of development.28
There can be no doubt that the crossing theory has littleor no value for Soviet linguistics. If it is true that the chieftask of linguistics is to study the inherent laws of languagedevelopment, it has to be admitted that the crossing theorydoes not even set itself this task, let alone accomplish it —it simply does not notice it, or does not understand it.QUESTION. Did Pravda act rightly in starting an open discussionon problems of linguistics?ANSWER. Yes, it did.Along what lines the problems of linguistics will be settled,will become clear at the conclusion of the discussion. But itmay be said already that the discussion has been very useful.It has brought out, in the first place, that in linguisticbodies both in the centre and in the republics a regime hasprevailed which is alien to science and men of science. Theslightest criticism of the state of affairs in Soviet linguistics,even the most timid attempt to criticize the so-called “newdoctrine” in linguistics, was persecuted and suppressed bythe leading linguistic circles. Valuable workers and researchersin linguistics were dismissed from their posts or demotedfor being critical of N. Y. Marr’s heritage or expressing theslightest disapproval of his teachings. Linguistic scholarswere appointed to leading posts not on their merits, butbecause of their unqualified acceptance of N. Y. Marr’stheories.It is generally recognized that no science can develop andflourish without a battle of opinions, without freedom ofcriticism. But this generally recognized rule was ignored andflouted in the most unceremonious fashion. There arose aclose group of infallible leaders, who, having secured them-29
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Page 8 and 9: From Marx to MaoML© Digital Reprin
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Page 13: MARXISM AND PROBLEMSOF LINGUISTICS
Page 16 and 17: ase. If the base changes or is elim
Page 18 and 19: sists not in serving one class to t
Page 20 and 21: grammatical system and its basic st
Page 22 and 23: single and common language of a soc
Page 24 and 25: language.” For this reason, stran
Page 26 and 27: geoisie.” 4 Certain comrades conc
Page 28 and 29: aristocracy? How can one possibly d
Page 30 and 31: Reference is further made to Lenin,
Page 32 and 33: The mistake our comrades commit her
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Page 36: slowly than the basic word stock. W
Page 39: elements of the new quality, and he
Page 43 and 44: N. Y. Marr’s “disciples” begu
Page 45 and 46: CONCERNING CERTAINPROBLEMS OF LINGU
Page 47 and 48: tion: instruments of production man
Page 49 and 50: itself, which is free of the “nat
Page 51 and 52: Hence, the existence of specific wo
Page 53 and 54: REPLY TO COMRADESTO COMRADE SANZHEY
Page 55 and 56: TO COMRADES D. BELKIN AND S. FURERI
Page 57 and 58: negligible. Properly speaking, this
Page 59 and 60: concluded that a socialist revoluti
Page 61 and 62: plied to all periods of development
Page 63 and 64: languages takes place as a struggle
Page 65 and 66: communist society. As a science, Ma
Page 67 and 68: nationalism and separatism in the R

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