COMPARATIVE PHILOLOGY AND THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE: A CRITICAL REAPPRAISAL
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Comparative philology, one of the earliest systematic approaches to language study, has shaped the foundations of modern linguistics, historical analysis, and cultural interpretation. Despite its long tradition, the field continues to evolve in response to new methodologies, technological advancements, and interdisciplinary perspectives. This article revisits the core principles of philology—textual analysis, linguistic comparison, historical reconstruction, and cultural contextualization—and situates them within contemporary scholarship. First, the study surveys the theoretical lineage from classical philologists to present-day linguistic historians. Then, it examines the shifting role of philology in light of computational tools, corpus analysis, and digital humanities, highlighting how these innovations have both challenged and revitalized traditional methodologies. The main body of this article explores the intersection of philological inquiry with sociolinguistics, anthropology, cognitive science, and literary studies, demonstrating that philology’s central concern with meaning, form, and transmission remains crucial for understanding human communication across time. Methodologically, the article employs a qualitative synthesis of major scholarly contributions and a comparative analysis of linguistic case studies drawn from Indo-European, Semitic, and East Asian traditions. Findings indicate that while philology has often been criticized for its past Eurocentrism or narrow textual focus, it now benefits from broader cultural inclusivity and interdisciplinary cross-fertilization. The discussion emphasizes the need for a renewed philological paradigm that respects traditional rigor while embracing empirical and technological innovation. Ultimately, the study concludes that philology—far from being an antiquarian discipline—remains a vital framework for interpreting linguistic evolution, cultural memory, and the human intellectual heritage.
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