Definition

Proper noun * Roman Jakobson: A Russian-American linguist and literary theorist, a leading figure in 20th-century structural linguistics. He is particularly noted for his foundational work in phonology, communication theory, and the structural analysis of language and poetry.

Usage and Examples

• As a subject:
  • Roman Jakobson developed the influential model of the functions of language.
  • The theories of Roman Jakobson were central to the Prague School of linguistics.
• In possessive form:
  • Jakobson's analysis of phonological systems remains a classic text.
  • We studied Jakobson's six functions of verbal communication.

Advanced Usage and Context

• Scholarly Reference: The name is used to denote a specific school of thought or theoretical framework within linguistics and semiotics.
  • A Jakobsonian approach to poetry focuses on the poetic function of language.
  • His work is often cited in discussions of Jakobsonian structuralism.

Variants and Related Terms

• Jakobsonian (adjective): Pertaining to the theories or methods of Roman Jakobson.
  • Jakobsonian linguistics emphasizes the binary oppositions in phonological systems.

Key Concepts and Associations

• Distinctive Features: A theory in phonology, developed by Jakobson, which proposes that phonemes are composed of smaller, contrasting units (e.g., voiced vs. voiceless).
• Functions of Language: Jakobson's model outlining six factors and corresponding functions in any act of verbal communication (e.g., referential, poetic, phatic).
• Prague Linguistic Circle: The group of scholars with which Jakobson was closely associated.
• Structuralism: The theoretical movement in which Jakobson was a principal figure, analyzing language as a system of interrelated signs.

Noun

1. United States linguist (born in Russia) noted for his description of the universals of phonology (1896-1982)