An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2Locke, John
Philosophy
An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2
Locke, John
Knowledge, Theory of -- Early works to 1800
This shows us how it comes to pass that there are in every language
many particular words which cannot be rendered by any one single word
of another. For the several fashions, customs, and manners of one
nation, making several combinations of ideas familiar and necessary in
one, which another people have had never an occasion to make, or
perhaps so much as take notice of, names come of course to be annexed
to them, to avoid long periphrases in things of daily conversation; and
so they become so many distinct complex ideas in their minds. Thus
ostrakismos amongst the Greeks, and proscriptio amongst the Romans,
were words which other languages had no names that exactly answered;
because they stood for complex ideas which were not in the minds of the
men of other nations. Where there was no such custom, there was no
notion of any such actions; no use of such combinations of ideas as
were united, and, as it were, tied together, by those terms: and
therefore in other countries there were no names for them.
7. And Languages change.
Hence also we may see the reason, why languages constantly change, take
up new and lay by old terms. Because change of customs and opinions
bringing with it new combinations of ideas, which it is necessary
frequently to think on and talk about, new names, to avoid long
descriptions, are annexed to them; and so they become new species of
complex modes. What a number of different ideas are by this means
wrapped up in one short sound, and how much of our time and breath is
thereby saved, any one will see, who will but take the pains to
enumerate all the ideas that either REPRIEVE or APPEAL stand for; and
instead of either of those names, use a periphrasis, to make any one
understand their meaning.
8. Mixed Modes
Though I shall have occasion to consider this more at-large when I come
to treat of Words and their use, yet I could not avoid to take thus
much notice here of the NAMES OF MIXED MODES; which being fleeting and
transient combinations of simple ideas, which have but a short
existence anywhere but in the minds of men, and there too have no
longer any existence than whilst they are thought on, have not so much
anywhere the appearance of a constant and lasting existence as in their
names: which are therefore, in this sort of ideas, very apt to be taken
for the ideas themselves. For, if we should inquire where the idea of a
TRIUMPH or APOTHEOSIS exists, it is evident they could neither of them
exist altogether anywhere in the things themselves, being actions that
required time to their performance, and so could never all exist
together; and as to the minds of men, where the ideas of these actions
are supposed to be lodged, they have there too a very uncertain
existence: and therefore we are apt to annex them to the names that
excite them in us.
9. How we get the Ideas of mixed Modes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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