A letter from Zellig Harris to André Lentin: Explanatory notes

Bruce Nevin
Edgartown, Massachusetts

Toward the end of his life, Zellig Harris (1909–1992) wrote a brief account of the origins and development of his work to establish the foundations of a science of language on mathematical principles. A French translation was published in 1990, and in the same publication appeared a parallel appraisal from a mathematical point of view by André Lentin (1913–2015). Early the following year, having reread Lentin’s essay several times, Harris wrote him the letter which is presented here. More than a gesture of thanks and appreciation, this letter further illuminates the comprehensive overview afforded by the two essays, both of which appeared in English in 2002.

Publication history

Date received: 30 April 2020

Date accepted: 14 February 2021

Published online: 2 April 2021

Table of contents

The purpose of this paper is to provide some background and context for the letter presented here, particularly as to terminology and technical concepts of mathematics which may not be familiar to all readers. Mathematicians and other specialists will of course be familiar with these matters in depth and detail that is inappropriate for this audience and purpose. I take my lead from the editor and contributors of The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, who have most capably balanced coverage vs. accessibility for many years.

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