Historical Linguistics

The descending order of influence of these linguists in the world, based on their historical and contemporary significance, is as follows:
1. Noam Chomsky (known for his contributions to modern linguistics)
2. Panini (founder of formal linguistics in ancient India)
3. Ferdinand de Saussure (a key figure in structuralism)
4. Leonard Bloomfield (a major figure in American structural linguistics)

Linguistics was initially studied under the discipline of Philology, which involves the study of language in historical texts and literature, especially in relation to culture.