in Semitic and Oriental languages so he made a great departure from the linear analysis of phonology and morphology to a more of syntagmatic and paradigmatic analysis, where it is important to distinguish between the two levels of phonematic units (equivalent to phone) and prosodies (equivalent to features like "nasalization", "velarization" etc.). Prosodic analysis paved the way to autosegmental phonology, though many linguists, who do not have a good background on the history of phonology, do not acknowledge this. Selected publications Speech. London: Ernest Benn, 1930. The Tongues of Men. London: Watts, 1937. Papers in Linguistics, 1934–1951. London: Oxford University Press, 1957. A synopsis of linguistic theory 1930-1955, in J. R. Firth, editor, Studies in Linguistic Analysis, Special volume of the Philological Society, chapter 1, pages 1–32, Oxford: Blackwell, 1957. Selected Papers of J. R. Firth, 1952-59, edited by F. R. Palmer. London: Longmans, 1968. See also Phonaestheme Systemic linguistics Notes Further reading [An earlier, shorter version was published as: ] Systemic functional linguistics 1890 births 1960 deaths People from Keighley Linguists from England Phonologists Academics of University College London Academics of SOAS University of London People from Lindfield, West Sussex Alumni of the University of Leeds Linguists from the United Kingdom 20th-century linguists