An influential group of literary and linguistic scholars who developed structural analysis methods in Prague between the 1920s and 1940s, revolutionizing phonology and literary theory.

Origins and Development

The Prague School (Prague Linguistic Circle) emerged in 1926 when a group of innovative linguists and literary theorists began meeting regularly in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Founded by Vilém Mathesius, the school brought together prominent scholars including Roman Jakobson, Nikolai Trubetzkoy, and Jan Mukařovský.

Core Principles

Functional Structuralism

The Prague School developed a distinctive approach to linguistic and literary analysis based on:

Function as the primary organizing principle
Structuralism as a methodological framework
Analysis of language as a system of relationships
Focus on synchronic (rather than diachronic) analysis

Phonological Theory

Their groundbreaking work in phonology introduced:

The concept of phoneme as a functional unit
Binary opposition in sound features
Markedness theory in linguistic analysis
Systematic analysis of distinctive features

Major Contributions

To Linguistics

Development of functionalism approaches
Creation of phonology methods
Analysis of language universals
Studies of prosody and intonation

To Literary Theory

Poetics analysis of literary texts
Theory of foregrounding in literature
Concept of aesthetic function
Analysis of standard language versus poetic language

Legacy and Influence

The Prague School's ideas significantly influenced:

Structuralism in European linguistics
Modern phonological theory
Literary criticism
Semiotics development
Functional grammar approaches

Contemporary Relevance

The school's methodologies continue to influence:

Contemporary linguistic analysis
Digital humanities approaches
Cognitive linguistics
Literary and cultural studies
Language teaching methodologies

Key Texts

Trubetzkoy's "Principles of Phonology" (1939)
Jakobson's "Selected Writings" (various volumes)
The "Travaux du Cercle Linguistique de Prague" series

The Prague School represents a crucial bridge between early structural linguistics and modern approaches to language and literature study, maintaining relevance in contemporary linguistic and literary research.