On Linguistic Institutionalism. For a brief history of an Italian linguistic paradigm

This paper examines the paradigm of Linguistic Institutionalism, one of the most distinctive linguistic theories within early twentieth-century Italian linguistic thought. Developed as a critique of Benedetto Croce’s philosophy of language, which denied the objectivity of language as a social and collective phenomenon, Linguistic Institutionalism proposes a theoretical and practical parallel between language and law, asserting both as human institutions. The study delves into the historical and theoretical origins of this paradigm, emphasizing the contributions of Giovanni Nencioni (1911-2008), particularly his work Idealismo e realismo nella scienza del linguaggio (1946). Nencioni’s perspective illustrates how Linguistic Institutionalism merges linguistic and juridical concepts to reaffirm language as a super-individual norm and a system of values. Furthermore, this interdisciplinary approach underscores the need for linguistics to engage with philosophical discourse, positioning itself as a specialized science dedicated to the systematic study of language as an objective social institution. Through this lens, Linguistic Institutionalism emerges not only as a response to Croce’s ideas but also as an insightful theoretical framework for exploring social and institutional dimensions of language.