WHAT PHILOLOGY IS AND WHO PHILOLOGISTS ARE

This article discusses the question of how a modern understanding of Philology as a set of sciences that study the essence of the spiritual culture of society through language and literature, which determined the complex nature of the scientist-philologist, was formed. The analysis of definitions of Philology offered by Russian and foreign scientists shows that there is currently no single interpretation of this term. However, there is no doubt that philological activity is based on the idea of the inseparable link of language with the culture of the people and, therefore, a comprehensive study of the language is impossible without the use of philological knowledge.