The paper examines four controversial questions concerning American structuralist linguistics. Firstly, American structuralist linguistics is closely related to Saussure's theory. Secondly, the introduction of IC analysis by Bloomfield is largely based on W. Wundt's structural psychology. Thirdly, the influence of behaviorism on American structuralist linguistics should not be overestimated, which is chiefly manifested in two aspects of the social function of language and the nature of meaning. Lastly, two different issues concerning the treatment of meaning by American structuralists should b...
