Konstantin Aksakov’s language philosophy

Abstract

The philosophical and linguistic theory of the Slavophile K. S. Aksakov is considered. It is shown that the Slavophile idea that​​ Russia follows its own unique way of historical development has influenced Russian philosophy of language. According to Aksakov, language functions due to its being closely related to the spirit and thought of the people, therefore he believed that the history of the Russian language is the history of the people. He claimed that the spiritual and social development of the Russian people is characterized by its own unique historical experience, therefore the Russian language reflecting this experience has developed specific language forms. Aksakov insisted that to realize the true meaning of the language was impossible without studying its historical, cultural, and religious background. When analyzing Aksakov’s philosophy of language, the author uses the historical comparative method which helps him to determine both the historical identity of various language philosophies and what differs them from each other. This method is also used to better understand the essence of language as it is considered by thinkers following different approaches. The relevance of the article can be seen in the fact that it concerns the problems of the development of modern linguistic sciences. Moreover,   Aksakov’s language philosophy has been the subject of lively discussion lately. It is concluded that the language philosophy of Aksakov can serve as a model for contemporary philosophers as it is a comprehensive study based on advanced scientific methods and the evolutionary approach stressing the influence of historical and socio-cultural factors.