Herder's conception of "das Volk"Simpson, Georgiana Rose
Philosophy
Herder's conception of "das Volk"
Simpson, Georgiana Rose
German language -- Etymology; German language -- Semantics; Herder, Johann Gottfried, 1744-1803; Thesis (Ph. D.)
Emile’s senses have been highly developed by his contact with nature,
and it is this sharpness and exactness of the senses that Herder extols
so much in primitive peoples. They are both cause and effect of the work
which nature achieves by her most trusted handmaiden; namely, environment.
In discussing the origin of language, even though Herder at certain
points takes issue with Rousseau, it is very clear that he is influenced
by the latter and is in agreement with him to considerable extent.
Rousseau has pursued the question of the origin of language, not only in
his essay bearing this title, but also in the _Discourse on Inequality_.
The first sentences of Herder’s essay _Abhandlung über den Ursprung der
Sprache_ run not unlike a passage in Rousseau’s _Discours_ just mentioned:
Schon als Thier, hat der Mensch Sprache. Alle heftigen, und die
heftigsten unter den heftigen, die schmerzhaften Empfindungen
seines Körpers, alle starken Leidenschaften seiner Seele
äussern sich unmittelbar in Geschrei, in Töne, in wilde,
unartikulirte Laute.
Le premier langage de l’homme, le langage le plus universel, le
plus énergique et le seul dont il eut besoin avant qu’il fallût
persuader des hommes assemblés est le cri de la nature. Comme
ce cri n’était arraché que par une sorte d’instinct dans les
occasions pressantes, pour implorer du secours dans les grands
dangers ou du soulagement dans les maux violents, il n’était
pas d’un grand usage dans le cours ordinaire de la vie, où
règnent des sentiments plus modérés.
Further, in his own essay, Herder says, that as our tones of nature are
for the purpose of expressing passion, it is natural that they should
become also the elements of all that which is emotional, and if we call
this immediate sound of feeling speech, then, says he, it is easy to find
the origin of speech natural.
But although all animals have a speech by which they sound forth their
feelings, such speech will never become human language until reason,
understanding (_Verstand_), arises to use these tones with direct
intention.
In so far, then, as the very beginnings of language are cries of passion,
Herder is in accord with Rousseau in both essays in which the latter
discusses the question.
REFERENCES TO ROUSSEAU, JEAN JACQUES
I: 22, 47, 96, 484.
II: 229, 269, 276, 313.
III: 279.
IV: 52, 145, 369, 371.
V: 20, 21, 33, 37, 44, 58, 85, 114, 117, 120, 147, 168, 314, 394,
452, 583, 640, 643.
IV: 163; note to page 250.
VII: 65, 74.
VIII: 328.
IX: 354, 474.
X: 298, 306, 307, 352.
XII: Note to page 198.
XIII: 265.
XV: 35, 248, 495.
XVI: 26.
XVII: 8, 97, 190, 309, 326.
XVIII: 91, 359, 371.
XX: 288, 293.
XXII: 151, 161.
XXIII: 231, 272.
XXV: Note to page 601; 631, 632.
XXIX: 256, 265.
XXX: 30.
XXXII: 17, 33, 41, 75, 147, 185, 233.
CONCLUSION
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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