When carrying out linguistic researches the sets of the principles and ways united in the general methodology are used. Science methods about language mutually supplement each other therefore are most often used in different combinations. Use of own set of research techniques is characteristic of each school of sciences.
Instruction
1. The term "method" in science is used for designation of a way of knowledge of the phenomena and interpretation of their nature. To a method always there corresponds a certain research task which is set at the beginning of work. The right choice of methodology directly affects the end result of research activity and imposes special requirements to the organization of scientific work and qualification of the linguist.
2. The descriptive method is widely applied to studying functioning of language in society. Using it, the researcher analyzes language elements, carefully selecting characteristics of phonemes, words, grammatical constructions and forms. All parts of the general language system at the description are considered both in formal aspect, and in terms of semantics.
3. The comparative-historical method which entered science in the 19th century is applied to reconstruction of former conditions of languages and identification of regularities in the history of their development. Researchers try to pick up set of the facts for related sign and to formulate the general regularities inherent in related languages. The comparative-historical method is turned to the past of language whereas descriptive considers its present.
4. The main task of a comparative method consists in establishment of similarity and difference between structures of various languages. It, like a descriptive method, is aimed at the present. This method demands accurately issued and comprehensively thought over comparisons during which certain elements of structure of one language are put in compliance to the same structures of other language.
5. Last century in linguistics there was a structural method. In its framework the language is considered as the complete structure having the elements connected in some logical sequence taking into account the linguistic relations. In the center of a structural method which supplements a descriptive way of studying language structures there is a direct functioning of language.
6. The structural method received the continuation in the middle of the past century, having developed in the transformational analysis. This method assumes replacement of the concrete fact with another which is considered admissible in terms of requirements of intelligence and rules of communication. Transformation of superficial language structures helps to reveal their kernel and the deep nature.
7. To give full and exhaustive transfer of the methods used in linguistics rather difficult. The repertoire of ways of learning language is very wide and all the time is replenished. Some methods are fixed in scientific use for a long time, others do not maintain check by practice and become property of history.