Jakobson disseminated structuralist thought even outside linguistics. In America he almost single-handedly centered linguists' attention on Slavic languages. His early classic work Remarques showed how to view Slavic-language histories structurally, tracing shifts from system to system. Thanks to Feldstein's painstakingly annotated translation, it can now spur new generations of scholars.
E. Wayles Browne, Professor Emeritus, Department of Linguistics, Cornell University
In its French edition, Remarques advanced linguistic structuralism beyond Saussure's Cours and established Slavic as an exemplar to demonstrate the interplay of synchrony and diachrony. Feldstein's fresh, readable English translation and learned annotation bring this fundamental work to a new generation of scholars for whom this will be obligatory reading.
Marc L. Greenberg, Director, School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures, University of Kansas
Written during his membership in the Prague Linguistic Circle, Jakobson's book is a work of brilliant and pioneering scholarship that provides powerful systematic insights into the comparative historical phonology of the Slavic languages. This new translation is a welcome addition to the history of structural linguistics.
Jean Berko Gleason, Professor Emerita, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University
Professor Feldstein has done a brilliant job of not only rendering Jakobson's seminal work into English but also providing expert commentary that brings Jakobson's original text to life. This work should be read by any linguist who is interested in phonology in general, historical comparative phonology, and principles of diachronic analysis.
Edna Andrews, Chair, Linguistics Program, Duke University; author of Markedness Theory and Neuroscience and Multilingualism
