Introduction: The Linguist as Outsider — 1. Biographical Framework / Johan Nicolai Madvig: Biographical Data / Madvig as Educator / Language Policies / Madvig’s Political Activities / Conclusions — 2. Classical Philology, Comparative Linguistics, and the Idea of Science / The Romantic Concept of Science (Wissenschaft) / Classical Philology / The Emergence of Comparative Philology: Friedrich Schlegel (1772-1829) / A New Unity in the Latter Half of the Century? / Conclusions — 3. Madvig’s Language Theory / The Basis: Applied Linguistics / Basic Principles / The Origin of Language / From Sign to Grammar / Random Forces in Language / The Role of the Past: Etymology— 4. Madvig and his Contemporaries / Madvig and Humboldt / Madvig and Curtius / Madvig and Whitney / Brugmann’s Criticism of Madvig / A Change of Focus — 5. The Footnote Syndrome: The Reception of Madvig’s Theory / Bursian and the Obituaries / The Early Twentieth Century / The Madvig Congress / Later Comments — 6. Concluding Remarks — Appendix: List of Madvig’s Publications; Johan Nicolai Madvig: Livserindringer (1887); M. Cl. Gertz: Transcript of Madvig’s Lecture on the Encyclopedia of Philology (Fall Semester 1866) — Bibliography — Index nominum — Index rerum