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Über Den Ursprung Der Sprache
Herausgegeben von Claus Träger
118 pages, Hardcover
First published July 24, 1772
17 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Johann Gottfried Herder
1,605 books80 followersTheory of culture and advocacy of intuition over rationality of German philosopher and writer Johann Gottfried von Herder greatly influenced Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and formed the basis of German romanticism.
The periods of Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar classicism associate this theologian, poet, and literary critic.
In 1772, Herder published Treatise on the Origin of Language and went further in this promotion of language than his earlier injunction to "spew out the ugly slime of the Seine. Speak German, oh you German." Herder then established the foundations of comparative philology within the new currents of political outlook.
The periods of Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar classicism associate this theologian, poet, and literary critic.
In 1772, Herder published Treatise on the Origin of Language and went further in this promotion of language than his earlier injunction to "spew out the ugly slime of the Seine. Speak German, oh you German." Herder then established the foundations of comparative philology within the new currents of political outlook.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 21, 2019
Endlich bin ich mit der Abhandlung Herders durch und ich muss sagen, dass das Buch absolut Lesenswert ist. Am Anfang hatte ich meine liebe Mühe. Sobald man sich jedoch an Herders Argumentationsstil gewöhnt hat, sind seine Erkenntnisse spannend und einleuchtend.
Herders Argumentation steht ganz im Zeichen der Tradition des Rationalismus und der Aufklärung und durchläuft verschiedene Stadien, die ihn zunächst zu Condillacs Sprachtheorie führt, die er später zu revidieren versteht, während er von Beginn an von der Unwahrheit Süßmilchs Theorie überzeugt zu sein scheint. Aus der Theorie Condillacs entsteht letztlich Herders eigene Sprachtheorie, die weder von einem göttlichen noch von einem tierischen Ursprung der Sprache ausgeht, sondern von der Spracherfindung durch den Menschen selbst.
Für Leser, die sich auch mal über die Sprache informieren wollen, ein gutes Buch um einen ersten Einblick zu erlangen.
Herders Argumentation steht ganz im Zeichen der Tradition des Rationalismus und der Aufklärung und durchläuft verschiedene Stadien, die ihn zunächst zu Condillacs Sprachtheorie führt, die er später zu revidieren versteht, während er von Beginn an von der Unwahrheit Süßmilchs Theorie überzeugt zu sein scheint. Aus der Theorie Condillacs entsteht letztlich Herders eigene Sprachtheorie, die weder von einem göttlichen noch von einem tierischen Ursprung der Sprache ausgeht, sondern von der Spracherfindung durch den Menschen selbst.
Für Leser, die sich auch mal über die Sprache informieren wollen, ein gutes Buch um einen ersten Einblick zu erlangen.
April 19, 2025
While at times belaboured, this was a hugely stimulating read.
I came at this essay from two directions. First, that this was one of the thinkers who had a profound influence on Isaiah Berlin’s thought, and Berlin was - and is - one of the thinkers who has shaped my view of the world. Second, that Herder laid the groundwork for anthropology, a field of study I think deserves to be appreciated far more than it is.
In other words, I came with high expectations. While I was eventually fulfilled, the journey was far from straightforward. To understand why, we have to understand the argument that Herder sets out to make.
Herder is attempting to disprove the idea that language is of divine origin.
Now that would strike us moderns as somewhat silly (of course it isn’t divine), but it is the route Herder takes to make his argument that offers insights.
****
Full essay here
I came at this essay from two directions. First, that this was one of the thinkers who had a profound influence on Isaiah Berlin’s thought, and Berlin was - and is - one of the thinkers who has shaped my view of the world. Second, that Herder laid the groundwork for anthropology, a field of study I think deserves to be appreciated far more than it is.
In other words, I came with high expectations. While I was eventually fulfilled, the journey was far from straightforward. To understand why, we have to understand the argument that Herder sets out to make.
Herder is attempting to disprove the idea that language is of divine origin.
Now that would strike us moderns as somewhat silly (of course it isn’t divine), but it is the route Herder takes to make his argument that offers insights.
****
Full essay here
July 23, 2023
a good early treatise on proto-hermeneutics
It seems according to Herder, that language is the root of all civilization and that it would not be possible for governments, learning institutions and infrastructure to exist had we not been able to master our mouths to speak. The limits of one’s world is determined by one’s language, as Wittgenstein would go on to assert.
It seems according to Herder, that language is the root of all civilization and that it would not be possible for governments, learning institutions and infrastructure to exist had we not been able to master our mouths to speak. The limits of one’s world is determined by one’s language, as Wittgenstein would go on to assert.
November 14, 2023
Nezasluzena zvezdica
March 12, 2022
Die Beschäftigung mit diesem Werk lohnt sich durchaus, es ist auch sprachlich schön beispielhaft geschrieben, wobei der Autor doch gern mit seinen zahlreichen Beispielen etwas abschweift. Dadurch lässt sich der Text jedoch wunderbar kürzen und weiter bearbeiten.
Für die, die sich dafür interessieren, lohnt es sich das komplette Werk zu lesen. Für die, die sich primär für den Inhalt und weniger für die sprachliche Formulierung der Abhandlung interessieren, gibt es zahlreiche gekürzte Fassungen zu finden. Ich habe das Original gelesen und selbst eine gekürzte Version für den Schulunterricht angefertigt.
Für die, die sich dafür interessieren, lohnt es sich das komplette Werk zu lesen. Für die, die sich primär für den Inhalt und weniger für die sprachliche Formulierung der Abhandlung interessieren, gibt es zahlreiche gekürzte Fassungen zu finden. Ich habe das Original gelesen und selbst eine gekürzte Version für den Schulunterricht angefertigt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2018
Abgesehen von einigen Verfehlungen in seinen Annahmen (die durch die Epoche verursacht wurden), war es ungewöhnlich einleuchtend. So manchem Irrglauben zu Trotz kam er auf schlüssige Ergebnisse. Es wäre sogar möglich, dass die irren Herleitungen ein Mittel zum Zweck waren. Dafür weiß ich aber zu wenig über den Autor.
February 25, 2025
one of the most original, fresh and thought provoking works of philosophy.
In the world of imperialism and figures like immanuel cunt who talked about "killing all the polynesians", this book provides one of the most humane, poetic and inspiring philosophy of culture and language.
the limits of language are the limits of my world.
In the world of imperialism and figures like immanuel cunt who talked about "killing all the polynesians", this book provides one of the most humane, poetic and inspiring philosophy of culture and language.
the limits of language are the limits of my world.
July 11, 2019
Humboldt war besser. Und doch: Herder erfasst den Beitrag der Sprachen(en) zur Herausbildung der Humanität als Einheit in der Vielfalt und entwirft so eine Vision, die bis heute uneingelöst ist.
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December 5, 2023hat mir durchaus gefallen
June 24, 2021
Demetra
Zagreb, 2005.
Preveo Ratimir Škunca
U sklopu Filozofske biblioteke Dimitrija Savića
Izvorno objelodanjeno 1770.
Na vrlo jasan način se plete tkivo teksta, spominju se dosta onodobni autori.
U srži Herder najavljuje Humboldta i američke antropologe s početka 20. stoljeća zastupajući tezu kako je jezik usko povezan s umom, svaki nacionalni jezik odražava kulturološki specifikum određenog naroda.
S jedne strane Herder u tekstu spominje crnce kao glupa bića slična majmunima, a s druge strane brani jezike sjevernoameričkih Indijanaca kao potpuno ravnopravne europskim jezicima.
U tom smislu treba istaknuti da mu jezici sjevernoameričkih Indijanaca predstavljaju sve neeuropske jezike, nije smatrao da su europski jezici bolji od drugih jezika.
Herder jasno govori kako bez definicije čovjeka nema definicije jezika, čovjek nije mogao biti čovjek dok nije posjedovao jezik.
Štivo zanimljivo svakom lingvistu i filologu, preporučam!
¡Hasta luego mis murcielagos!
Zagreb, 2005.
Preveo Ratimir Škunca
U sklopu Filozofske biblioteke Dimitrija Savića
Izvorno objelodanjeno 1770.
Na vrlo jasan način se plete tkivo teksta, spominju se dosta onodobni autori.
U srži Herder najavljuje Humboldta i američke antropologe s početka 20. stoljeća zastupajući tezu kako je jezik usko povezan s umom, svaki nacionalni jezik odražava kulturološki specifikum određenog naroda.
S jedne strane Herder u tekstu spominje crnce kao glupa bića slična majmunima, a s druge strane brani jezike sjevernoameričkih Indijanaca kao potpuno ravnopravne europskim jezicima.
U tom smislu treba istaknuti da mu jezici sjevernoameričkih Indijanaca predstavljaju sve neeuropske jezike, nije smatrao da su europski jezici bolji od drugih jezika.
Herder jasno govori kako bez definicije čovjeka nema definicije jezika, čovjek nije mogao biti čovjek dok nije posjedovao jezik.
Štivo zanimljivo svakom lingvistu i filologu, preporučam!
¡Hasta luego mis murcielagos!
October 20, 2024
La lettura di questo saggio è stata molto istruttiva, e mi ha avvicinato a un filone della ricerca filosofica che non conoscevo. In effetti, la questione dell’origine del linguaggio può fornire qualche elemento in più per comprendere la posizione dell’uomo nel mondo e soprattutto rispetto agli altri viventi. Le scoperte primatologiche hanno in parte smentito le tesi herderiane sulla perfettibilità e sulla Besonnenheit, ma il trattato rimane un buon punto di partenza per affrontare, in ottica illuministica, la questione della nascita del linguaggio.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews