The Henry Sweet Society for the History of Linguistic Ideas was founded in 1984 with the aim of promoting and encouraging the study of the history of all branches of linguistic thought, theoretical and applied, and including non-European traditions.
Colloquia
The Henry Sweet Society organises a yearly Colloquium, either a three-day Colloquium in late August/early September or a one-day Colloquium, usually in April, in those years when the International Conference on the History of the Language Sciences (ICHoLS) meets.
Language & History journal
Published in 3 issues per year both online and in print, Language & History is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal that aims to promote the study of the history of all branches of linguistic thought, theoretical and applied, and including non-European traditions. Its fields of interest include the history both of the major subject areas of linguistics and also more specialised topics, such as writing systems, literacy, rhetoric, and the application of linguistic ideas within professional and technical fields.
Grants and Prizes
The Henry Sweet Society offers a number of grants and prizes to its members, including the following:
Vivien Law Prize The Society awards a prize in memory of Dr Vivien Law (1954-2002) for the best essay submitted on any topic within the history of linguistics. Topics may include the history both of the major subject areas of linguistics and also more specialised topics, such as writing systems, literacy, rhetoric, and the application of linguistic ideas within professional and technical fields.
Martin Burr Grant The Society invites applications for small amounts of funding (usually up to a maximum of £500) to enable any activity in the history of linguistic ideas and/or practice to reach a non-academic audience, encourage public engagement or lead to societal impact; to enable an activity such as archival work, interviews or workshops, in particular to support new research in areas of the history of linguistic thought and practice that are currently under-represented; or to support research by under-represented groups in the history of linguistics.
Martin Burr Travel Bursary The Martin Burr Travel Bursary is granted by the Society to assist postgraduates, early career scholars and other deserving candidates to attend the annual Colloquium of the Henry Sweet Society.
Members of the Henry Sweet Society receive our journal Language & History three times a year (from 2017), and enjoy a reduced registration fee at our annual colloquium.