Roman Jakobson

Date of Birth: October 11, 1896

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: July 18, 1982

Biography

Roman Osipovich Jakobson was a pioneering Russian-American linguist and literary theorist whose work significantly influenced the fields of structural linguistics, phonology, and communication theory. Born in Russia, Jakobson was a key figure in the development of the Prague Linguistic Circle and later made substantial contributions to semiotics and Slavic studies. He fled the turmoil of World War II, eventually settling in the United States, where he became a prominent academic, teaching at institutions such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Jakobson’s work laid the groundwork for various linguistic theories and methodologies that are still in use today.

5 Interesting Facts about Roman Jakobson

1. Roman Jakobson was one of the founding members of the Prague Linguistic Circle, a group that was instrumental in the development of structuralism.

2. He introduced the concept of “distinctive features” in phonology, which has become a fundamental theory in the study of language sounds.

3. Jakobson’s six functions of language model is a key framework in communication theory, explaining how different aspects of communication serve different purposes.

4. He was fluent in multiple languages, including Russian, Czech, French, English, German, and Polish, which greatly aided his comparative linguistic studies.

5. Jakobson was awarded numerous honorary degrees and accolades from academic institutions worldwide, recognizing his vast contributions to the field of linguistics.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Roman Jakobson

1. “Languages differ essentially in what they must convey and not in what they may convey.”

2. “Every single aspect of a language serves to support the semantic intention.”

3. “Phonology is the basis of all linguistics.”

4. “The poetic function projects the principle of equivalence from the axis of selection into the axis of combination.”

5. “In verbal art, the word is the medium.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

As an academic, Roman Jakobson’s net worth was not a matter of public record. Academics in his era were typically compensated through university salaries and grants, not leading to significant personal wealth.