Dalla storia naturale alla linguistica storica: il principio di uniformità

The so-called 'uniformitarian principle' is commonly cited in historical linguistics as an epistemological foundation that legitimizes reconstructing past stages of languages based on principles observed in currently spoken languages. The principle was first applied to historical linguistics in the 19th century, notably by the English geologist Charles Lyell, who is credited with coining the concept of uniformism and founding modern geology. The essay discusses how Lyell gradually reformulated the concept of uniformism throughout his life and follows key debates about this concept in geology, biology, and the philosophy of biology during the 20th century and recent times. After outlining its historical development and implications often overlooked, the paper analyzes some aspects of Lyell's application of the principle to historical linguistics. Finally, the uniformitarian principle is examined within the broader debate on the epistemological foundations of historical linguistics from the 19th to the 20th century.