Abstract

This thesis will explore the various views on the nature of language found in the works of Michel Foucault and Ludwig Wittgenstein. It will show that both writers move from a highly theoretical account of language toward a view in which background practices assume a large role. It will also show that these later views have a number of parallels, both in the picture of language they present and in the conceptual tools used to approach the subject. Finally, it will indicate directions for future research that will employ concepts developed by both writers