Henry Sweet Society Collection

A collection of over one thousand items about languages and linguistics donated by the Society, which also includes a donation from Professor R. H. Robins.

How to access the collection

The collection can be accessed via the University of York’s online catalogue. Most of the titles are available on the open shelves, and some are part of our Rare Books collections, which can be consulted in the Borthwick Search Room. Copies can be made subject to copyright.

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About the collection

The collector

A group of scholars came together at a garden-party held at the Oxford home of Paul and Vivian Salmon in Oxford, 1983. The group was interested in Linguistics and its history, and they decided to form a society for like-minded colleagues in the English-speaking world. The Society was officially founded in 1984 with the aim of promoting and encouraging the study of the history of all branches of linguistic thought, theoretical and applied, and including non-European traditions. The Society has members in most countries in the world.

The Henry Sweet Society awards an annual essay prize in memory of Vivien Law and up to two bursaries to allow early-career researchers to attend the annual colloquium.

More information can be found on their website.

Acquisition

The University Library received the collection from the Society in 2002 on a permanent loan basis. Most of the collection had been housed at the library in Keble College, University of Oxford. The books donated by Professor R. H. Robins came from the University of Luton, currently named University of Bedfordshire.

Further information