■Prague Linguistic Circle:
■Started by V. Mathesius (1882-1946) in 1926, with such activists as R. Jacobson (1896-1982), N. Trubetzkoy (1890-1938) , B. Havranek, and B. Trnka.
■The Circle stood at the heart of important developments in structural linguistics and semiotics in the 1930's.
■Three important points:
■Stressed synchronic linguistics, but not rigidly separated from diachronic studies.
■L is systemic in that no element of L can be satisfactorily analysed or evaluated in isolation and assessment can only be made if its relationship is established with the coexisting elements in the same language system.
■L is functional in that it is a tool for performing a number of essential functions or tasks for the community using it.