Dear President and all HSS members,

Thank you for the opportunity to reconsider the best possible name for the Society, especially one which appeals to a new generation of scholars.
Just two short premises: 
1.	a proper noun is, by its nature, not transparent, i.e. it doesn’t convey any meaning through which the named entity can be identified (according to the results of the extensive debate concerning the semantics of proper nouns). Nevertheless it honours the bearer of that name and underlines the related tradition (country, history etc..). 
2.	A subtitle or an extended title is therefore necessary, in my opinion, just to identify the role and mission of the Society. 
It is interesting to read the various comments already given concerning the pros and cons of the alternatives: linguistic ideas vs. linguistics vs. language vs. linguistic practices and ideas etc. 
My main point is that we should not confuse the history of languages and the history of metalinguistic research. The title of the review, together with its contents, doesn’t seem to me to make a sharp enough distinction between the two areas. 
I also agree with the preference shown to ‘linguistic ideas’ over ‘linguistics’. Philosophy of language, for example, is covered by the first, though not the second. Pre-theoretical or pre-scientific thought can, also, be included as a subject for research. 
In conclusion, I believe that the name fits the (historical, geographical, intellectual) roots of the Society; the subsequent description, within a prepositional phrase, efficiently identifies the goal of the Society itself. So, I remain in favour of the present name. 

While attempting to ascertain what would attract more young researchers, I would still like to underline the importance of keeping together historiography and theoretical commitment in present day inquiries. 

Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to voice our thoughts.

Sincerely yours

Savina Raynaud

_________________________
prof. Savina Raynaud
ordinario di Semantica 
Dipartimento di Filosofia
Facoltà di Scienze Linguistiche e Letterature Straniere
Università Cattolica del S. Cuore
Largo Gemelli, 1
20123 Milano  
tel. 0039.02.72342961 (dir.); 02.72342623 (Dip.); fax 02.72343650
skype: savina.raynaud
[log in to unmask]
http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/profilo.do?cod_docente=03025&section=profilo&language=ITA 

direttore del Centro di Ricerche Interdisciplinari per la Computerizzazione dei Segni dell'Espressione (CIRCSE): http://centridiricerca.unicatt.it/circse 
Istituto di Glottologia
 
membro internazionale del Cercle Linguistique de Prague
http://www.praguelinguistics.org/
 
socio della Società di Filosofia del Linguaggio  (presidente 2004/08)
http://sites.google.com/site/societafilosofiadellinguaggio

vicepresidente della Società Filosofica Italiana – sezione lombarda
http://www.sfilombardia.it




________________________________________
Da: Henry Sweet Society for the History of Linguistic Ideas [[log in to unmask]] per conto di Mike MacMahon [[log in to unmask]]
Inviato: lunedì 24 settembre 2012 12.02
A: [log in to unmask]
Oggetto: The name of the Henry Sweet Society

Dear HSS Member
At a committee meeting earlier this year, the question was raised about the name of the Society, especially in connection with the need to attract new members.  The full name is The Henry Sweet Society for the History of Linguistic Ideas, and has been used since the foundation of the Society in 1984.

The committee would like to gather the views and suggestions of the membership about whether there is a case for either choosing a different name, fine-tuning the present name, or leaving things as they are.  The simplest way is for you to send me an email ([log in to unmask]) and I will put your comment(s) to the committee at its next meeting -- probably in November.

Here are a few thoughts to start things off:

 *   Is the current name too long(winded)?
 *   Could it be giving the impression to 'outsiders' that the focus is on Sweet to the apparent exclusion of other equally important linguists?
 *   Is the expression 'linguistic ideas' an appropriate one to have in the title?
 *   Is the mention of Sweet transparent for a younger generation of linguists?
 *   Should the world-wide scope of the membership and their interests be emphasized by choosing a name that reflects better the interests of the membership?  Some people might say that the word 'British' should appear in the title; others that there is no need to mention the administrative base of the Society.  A parallel is the re-titling of the journal in 2009 to simply 'Language & History'.

I look forward to receiving any comments from you.

With best wishes

Mike MacMahon

(President, Henry Sweet Society for the History of Linguistic Ideas
University of Glasgow
Scotland/UK)