Giacomo Devoto 1898–1974

The paper essays to give a brief survey of the imposing and complex work of Giacomo Devoto (1897–1974), with particular emphasis on its principal traits seen both from the point of view of the history of linguistics and its scientific significance. Especial attention is drawn first of all to Devoto’s position vis-à-vis Benedetto Croce’s Idealism and the linguistic positivism of the first half of the 20th century. It seems possible to define Devoto’s position as a dialectic one between these two intellectual currents, which eventually led to an historicism, which actually was typical of the Italian linguistic tradition. From this viewpoint then Devoto’s understanding of language as an ‘institution’ is examined, including his intervention in the dispute between N. Ja. Marr and Stalin. After having dealt with his concept of a ‘stylistics of language’, which returns to regarding langue as an historicaland social institution, and its difference from a literary stylistics, Devoto’s Indo-European studies are examined. Here, the question of the relationship between linguistics and the other disciplines concerned with antiuqty is discussed, a relationship which Devotohad been obliged on several occasions to come back to. The ‘Devotian’ position is presented critically with the help of discussions which Devoto himself had entertained, with archaeologists and with linguists.