The analysis of language as a combination of a structural and a lexical component overlooks a third all-encompassing aspect: dynamics. is an attempt to describe the complex phenomenon that is human language by focusing on this important but often neglected aspect.

Iwan Wmffre is Lecturer of Celtic at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. He is a specialist in the Celtic languages, especially the Brittonic branch, and general linguistics, especially descriptive and phonetic issues. Recent publications include (2007), and the forthcoming and , both to be published in 2013.

Contents: Structuralism’s neglect of dynamics – Labov’s contribution to dynamics – Martinet’s contribution to dynamics – The Prague School and Jakobson’s contribution to dynamics – Problems of definition of concepts and terms relevant to dynamic linguistics – Martinet and Labov – Dynamics: Martinet’s precursors – Some problems of reification in linguistics – What is dynamics in language and dynamic linguistics? – Principles of a dynamic description of language.