Current Issues in Linguistic Theory | Explorati | Linguistic Relativity“This is a offprint from: Marin Pte and Mayjlin H. Verspoor 688) ‘splorations in Linguistic Releivi Jon Benjamins Publishing Company 200 (Public a Vo. 199 ofthe series (CURRENT ISSUES IN LINGUISTIC THEORY, ISSN (3040753) {SBN 90272 37069; Eur) /1 53619 977 5 (Hh: US) {© 2000 — Joh Benjamins BV. ‘by print. phtoprin, micofii anyother meas without writen pemision rom te publisher. How relativistic are Humboldt’s “Weltansichten”? JoRGEN TRABaNt Free Unversity of Berlin 1. Language and thought 1. Language a ogtion “The divest of languagesis not very of sounds and signs bt a diver- sty of the vies of the world (Iie Vrscedeaer istrict eine von Schllen ued. Zicen sondern via, Verchiedehet der Weltunochen Sets? [Humboldt 1902-36 IV. 27)" Tht finous satenem apps in Hunbolis frst academic discourse (1820) in wich he sketches» hase rowan of nse research and where he very Bil otis his phil {ophialconceton of guage Thee consiertion are the fit of Teenie yes of ceflxions and rmination abet langage And what Humbobl wants to doi his rt publ pearance asa ngs, 1 10 ly the foundation of the “Sprichaadium’, of lags investigation, a: an Attonomous since He doer hea very prestigious place athe Bern "Reade, hae Lees and Herder before him had published seminal texts ‘ou language: Lsbni's "Brevis desgnatio™ of 1710 and Here's “AD- Slur ber den Uraprng der Spache™ of 1772 are preset to Hun ‘o's mind thee ae song etal hints thaw to texts — hen Humboldt tes up the subject and asks the question of what might be the ‘eevee of syn gangs, of why anybody shoud invetigt the n- tings of he wold I ino eiteigent ht languages have obese Europe had doe tout fr tousnds of ears. And other cultures ofthe ‘veri sow ineret whatsoever ia language, fet aloe anges (the (thes). So, el ipo t say why the "Spracstudum” might be "Therefore, fist of el Hubli intoduesInnguge at st important ait ithe att by which ough produced. Langue i, a Wewoul sty today, coptin. Or, 10 Be mre precise ~ sine cognition today ‘er foetal proese aly angage i tbe phonerico- eral pro Ion of tong Iisa poces win to reas a th sae tine, ound aed thet, bat snot ada provets. Sound aed thought ae inseparable in ths sci. sound stout, tad tought ir sound Therefore, Humbolt foes nt ony el lnguagepoduction “cori, bu aso a sythess of| “refeton” sl staan Es verengn oho tm Moacen stl bit, ele er Teg i anf tine bse Zh er Element de Vertis ber ns Um neh hg sa] Der Merch bert ele Kr ese Gabe ue ‘oat drchfleon Roper rh Atetanin dr Tee wider tines ga eh Sa ae Fer epic rh tei 1¥9. [Tie are nce sphere unite in an which are ate of eng ie Tn i ri of dct ments ih can have ese ec ‘ined nan fit mero emation (-) Minhas the ove to ie tine sie sly tap refectsn sod pal) veh relation, Lndab de powers tem ely raph a lect Shs Physealy ough an setae whch ser tae o nec ad ‘Rost om psc Hutt 199754 “This copntve—o ponticn-ogniive~ conception of nguage was no Selenide tthe begining ofthe 1 cera ight seem ous oy. Hult tings tothe ott an iit tat a bon slowly matrating a plilonphy since Bacon via Lack, Labrie, Con, and Herder. Herder (172) was ceri he most radial “cog” in ts snes. Insp ‘moral sene ofthe origi of language, thought and lngunge coincide Zan guage i thought ease ery lose othe Chonslyan concept of "ite lized lmguage"» Humboldt ioduces ths asi io the Kastan pio phil famewor, which, by the laoducton of language is ransomed father radially Hombolt represents the Hngusic tom of transcendental “The copmive conception of language (whic sat he same ime a tin iste tum of plowpiy) i tt seeder beaus the tation and orl” view OF language was (ad tls today the conception of lam ‘gages a cmmacatne evi Als those pilsopers who eg 0 a= the cognitive pac of language — Locke, Conf: il ing to the tad ional ew that ngage ist fal «means fr comsmusating thoughts Following Leta, Herder race the tons of is pedocesos when be sn cogtion a the st Sinton of language Hamel sanctions hs ogitve revolution when in he fous words of his al work, bese that “language the thovghprogscing orga” (Die Sprache ist das bide Onsen des Gednsen Humboldt 183-16 VIL'3) Wis ae Scat to rely appre, ast” this serenc oda nee —in he Ht of | the moder nigh tothe Inguage organ” ~ i seems so normal. Bat twas sl gute fevehtonary i foe It simultane a statement esis the nguise ation Bd ays pilosopty. Agana the gui tation tls tt angus hiking, nt communication Aad ais pilosphy, tates that thinking isnot ey thinking. but ta hiking i Fenguge that eth ia words — snd tony ia Words “schemes Kent would sl have i. Sice langage the eeton of thought Humboldt onclaes nh fet academic dicoure Ober das vrgchenfe Spach iam" Durch de stg Ang des Gens, nd des Wert on cnn ‘Steud ren cas de Spshen et egos Mil sd. Slon ‘Scaote Wire darauten, sq ot eh ver unant 2 ‘dete Hanboit (50561 27) [iieeievean fhe mal orden of ugh an word hat anc ae ot sh te ea repent hoc sled Daher ean oder eins Humbil 19718, “The rains view ofthe elaonaip between language and hough ed {oth wel part. Thee were seal cts onthe onesie, ndpendent of | Tangge andthe aaguage would come an designator represen thought ‘And by represetng thought, laaguage would aso communicate thought (0 fess Now, language does aot “epreset somebng independent oF nom Tings, ut language and hough sal depend on each ther BeBe SetigeAbhingihet), they ave one gewralive process "lng der ‘Gedankr" Therefore, lngiage "covers he th, since tis inpy the ‘etn of thought or im another famous formula, the recreation of the ‘wad into the propery of theming das alen genenshatich voriegende “Gehietin dae Eigenthum des Gestes umzuschasen Humboldt 1903-0 1V 420) Th order to ihtate how Hunboldt see this creation of thoust- language, I wil quote the very cet and ouspoken passage fom Hum bolts main work Ueber dle erachedeno Isa proces Huma so fils the "Arba des Gets, labor ofthe mind” (Humbolh 1903-36 VI 46)» How Revre e n@oLnr's-WHLANsCITN'Y Steve avy shin an objet in hgh Fer clas of presen! se eStaed asa peas espe tenpaton of ting ally pee ‘Tocacwty of he ese must ome steal wih te oe action of he PEEL fom ths conto te poset ued Becomes a st i eet omar sn, esd an such retusa the WEE" iting paler th For nt the tal ig aks ut up th ip angus, th pooc of hat ro es back Ute ipeater star Tite peta comes aefomed mi el oie they, cat bide jt on at cee Only nga can ican watt e tesaton, curing cna wh he lb of ‘eapcecn sate ino a jose ha Yu to the je, he tof ‘eS Sn and halt in. eposbe So que ends ‘festmumcaon ves max anda, seach sey conto or the SCSREST ig nln soouorn nape bower, ngage eee cla nan sdszands ewe ees he as ted he SeSeRSE anna ty rl pon cere Forster De ‘Seal words coed fom asamp woah (Hunbol 1986:56) tie sae compa ci wich pougprs tho Kain “Ge Tham Scr ming, my esi ad aol, Teper unt Wha apes An cutie es al eh She eer ony, eter reesei “Vor SE pM cj mel ng bt ao nd ‘Js he wry Do bcm opto te bene ie. The sr ay soe ts ote cs tay ‘nate wk pene cum reon aan os ote ve SES Rc cen ou aoe uted I pte sl usenet um Brg en od Se ee Tantld pet my word oon fon 0 we SP pone eben ons an a) Nt coeur 1.2. Condon as “Weltansichton™ ‘The ection of thoughtlangage is 2 universal tak tut ti ot cine ‘Heryubere in the sume way, TRE second step in Hambol'spresenaton of ‘Snotege a thought andthe ove we fe parasites i io he ‘imation of te "rely" ofthat univer abo of the mind. The “- very ofthe wut to ake op he words of theft Academy sours, otis all over the wal. ‘Das Denke ist aber nicht bos bhingg vor der Sprache ubrhat, son dem, bisa einen gesasen Grad, auch von jeder eazlnen Beste (Glunbolt 1903-361. 2), (Though, however, i mot oly dependent oo {Enguage ingen bt ls 10x can exe on exc nial nga. "Humble 1997 15] Please note te phase "is uf einen pewssen Grad "to. cern extent, which wil etme toward on ofthe anes 1 the problem ofthe degre of lati of the "Welanschter”” Bur fe us fist, ‘Some back othe ea that thought depends upon particular languages. Af Ivo sted the interdependence of thought and langues, Humbe com- The Vern it itn Yon Se ul Zac, ann ce Vee ‘eter Welanihn stat Her st der Gran de ae Zc ‘Ser Srechumerarng etn ano 190 610-27). FM rns ews hom te ot how of nds nd ae ut ina of Inerpeaons of wos hi ee hat th enon, anh lite pr ‘ofall esis io langage ae be food bait 197 18, Because lnguage spear «copie proces, a discovery of truth, and cna thin process of discovery occurs scoring 1 india! serial lenguges and aot nt univers and unies say (Sprache Gbetaup) tary language dacovers te owm nth those tat re the “Weltanicen” ‘The cogative function of ngage athe histor or parila reazation tat fineton crest diffeem wes of he word And ene the con Son i very sngotnt forthe foundation of inguitics the esearch of those ‘ews ofthe werd the ily of ingusis. Or pt in dif words: the Ciscoe of the view ofthe word i he eginang of rel Ingusic re ‘earch, bosnise ony i languages ae eguded as cretons of “views of he Srl are they itresingseeie objects ot jst indeentphonec ‘bet tt materia fora vestigation of te human mind. 1.3, The old radon: Arie “The novelty andthe consequences ofthese iets — language is cognition, cognition i story parla become ere when they are exp ‘pponed 10 wba hey argue aan, ie Aide andthe Aisotelan wd ‘on. The famous pasge of De interpretation on which ll Esropea ar ‘pe election depends runs 5 allows: Words ar symbol ose ofthe tons ipso he sa ‘writen Words ee Sn of wars spoken AS wing solo spec nt hesa al so mn, at be me ffcions themes. fi ee ‘Sona pimp ste emer te sae or the woke of anki. = {Dette cbc of whch owe ston ar presetaticns FUSES, ‘SS ops mama (Arte 196115 De int 16) (cope ate pin Cg el us tee eh Polar EEE ugar, ec ome “Scuc afiaaear san sue apemn sei a sae oe ie ty omnes tony ranean “This is what Humbolt alas to when he rebus the “Verse vow ‘Sthulen und Zochen™ To that communinve and senate consi of league Hum opposes Language & primary conte, eopitin tht comes a Sun, ‘oun and thought belong toga: ariclatoneecton. () ust as Sound cers om guage to engage, te snmaterial o metal part of language flrs ar wel om langage 10 age dis ot iver (e Canguge comidered as «unity of sound and concept = Sauiure cine that ice expression of ngage a5 “Penséeson” (Sound hough) rete ews of he word 2 Relativity ‘We are now abe o answer the question of how fro ow deep Hunts versity of guages" Weltanenten”~ realy goes of how relic they are wl dss sx spect ofthe question 2.1 Unversity andre Firs, thee sone very big imitation of the paricalrty of the “Wels Scien” Languages - acoding to Hula aves lt commen. And Fmbold sys so rest afer ing ther pula Ina very gem tral wy, they ll ave the same task, thy all ave to fd sltion fo the Same rele, samy the formation of thought. “edad” Foe ration of thought the common detominator Oa the bass of tat eomnon| tusks tee ar, ofcourse, common "thaws nal languages. hii why be "ys nthe pang quoted shove (Humball 1903-36121) tht hoot ‘kepend yon ech deemed language "is uf een gewissen Gra 0 evan degree, Not totaly, but only toa certain dere! Tere, Hum rt conde hatin the pram ae a the les ato lan ‘uabe thee aa cern numberof hing whch ca be deters a rir End wich cat be separate fom all the conton f+ pau aguas ‘Dean in biden im grmachen 2ch i ecalcen Tel er Smee) (bt x cine Asm on Dingen, nls ges pri esta an Yon alee Eingung omer bonds Sache geet worden sen 1903. sewza, {For bth there ar mmr of his wich ane een gut rion Sa Svc fom al be cnn ay pr ngage. Hambol 997 i Wout are hese hing? Humboldt the fc tat, the oe sd, "here the onde word whic is comment all ans and which se ‘ceived trough the sees of aman, who ate al bloat alk, and that fomthe other side, there these world “de ianere Wel”, which sso ommon tos harans, As Humbolt says ina Kamin way the Ins of thnking CDexksenaze) are deta for mankind since the ner word i Inhabited by Kan cater, 0 which Humboldt would add the cargoes, ‘ranversl grammar Rumbo does not destroy pilosa sami (Gven if ete aot very interested in) be oly rel toward the exin ‘usw grammars, becuse they are ase onan unsaisiory knowledge ‘of languages But he is convnced tht there are waves egies of ‘ought and linguage For tance he snumes that categrie ike "ver" oF Spesonl prounout” are nie categorie. Hance, beyond the "er ischonder Spachsudu’, which iste study ofall empirical exiting languages. there is 4 "plooplsche Grarmatk™ Thus, these @ pri! ings Emit donot emia diversity. Bocuse, as Humboldt coatin-Dagegn wet cin mgs Menge von grin. ud atch gama cen Ege |] uber in ent oe Sc eve Sat mot 190336 10-2, {On de othr od there we moe compa gaat pears, Sieh) my oer oo nl ‘The pice of tha ndvidulty as tobe furor determine 22 Smtr and character 221. Thewehole sree ‘Those “indivi” concepts and grammatical peculiar the scope of ad veason oth study of ngage. Tei ensemble contates the Wel stich ofech langage I is important to say~ and hat map bea dif ce between umbels and Wht ews hat earch the Wel Sich” i ot ust pining at one or several inereting character fetes ofa language "Welanset” does at mean to pick otf nance te des ‘gation oftine and show how diet engages deste tee fiferenly. “Wehansicht” is someting tht is hen bythe nsembe ofa anguage I the language as a whole that ht bei into comsderaon. Hamble Semel at of gai eh err dt sero his ins into the partic prsnaiy ofeach language Lookng foc the way of ow to rasp those individual "Welansicten” bese that we have to dy what he cls the "inert Zusanieahang, the inser coker. ce ofa language Die oe Rage it dt, nvade joe fan Spaces hem incon osantestnge 2 sue, ale darn afin Ale mr veo, stomachs orden (Humbe 103381 10. [Tht ie is above alc tay he rca eater af rey Iowa Spagna rma al ng ese aw “The main sk of gui i coherent pesctaton ofthe lexicon ad te gamma of a langage. A new method forth task hs tobe fd, since the exiting dscns of lnguages ae made om the standpit of Lain, (Gresko Sparish gamma. Humboldt sks for x presentation which flows the lngage’s ov structure and notte srvtre of tonal Latin of (Greek grammar. Hunbolt is postulating sothing les tan strtrl de espns of langage. Thus, We might uy this good srt deep tion of language isl a description oft “Welansic”. Hunbol's con- ‘ton tat languages are ful “Wetansicen” i ot js romantic od teary aper tea dict tothe vention of srvcurl lagu ‘is. Hombolde develops desiptive insrament and es Rial 10 up Src desertion of aguas “An lten quoted example of wat Humbold waning odo i vee ridncoHorold cee tha inthe grammar ofthe Canbbean language ‘Gat form dort as ete”, you were™ This Latin pendant ies the “trot characters ofthat form, wich must be segmented and reduced {ois own componente awit das It consis of ee consi’. wich fbeansyou beta ay Thee spy osu category as conjune- thei that language Hunbolst himself wily al his Ee to ansorm the linguist ifrmation he cn ge od of and whichis most based on ra ton European Lai Creck grammar, te stucura insihts 222 Character ‘ur studying languages as “Welansichen” does not end with he sacra esripon ft leon ard grammar Humboldt evn as doubts abot Uber the sutra descipsons of languages yi satisticry inh Into the “Weltenschen" Te sey of languges oes ot end with thei Stracturldserptins It bao goon 0a sty ofthe sage of da lan swage norte an ony that trary usege wil titel il 2 good iit oto the"Wettnsit” of at aguage. hiss a cuca pin in w- ersnding Hombolt (an 1 hak iis the main éierence bateen Hut elds postion and ney ll other postions in ngs U can thik 0) tnd iam ide not very uch kd by linguists, even by those orb 10 Humboldt Batt csi ice t pis to the very heat of Humboldt’ onepton of engage (and toa big msendrstndag i Chomsky’ reading of tiumbolat), Language for Humboldt aot ut the strstr of an ind ‘il anauage —lmgue~ as its grasped inte econ andthe rama. ‘unblatevery exp about that Granzar apd lexicon are ony “ein totes Machwerk wasnachaicherZergederun, "a ded arifie of tate anys” (Humboldt 183-36 VIL 46), othe “ead skeleton cf ln fae’, nde tte Guippe™ "Die Sprache gt ur in der verbundenen Rede, Granmatik und Wererbuch snd kaum tren foden Gerppe ve [ieee [Language lis only in coaeced sours, rama and lexicon IMebarely compare tos dead skeleton} Humbolt 1903-36 VI. 147) ‘engage for Humboldt mean dacours, soe, texts ad the bet ‘hose tet athe Bter thi fo he "Welsch The"Welanscht of {pric language an only be developed is ic production of text, and ‘nin tht enserble of ets can the "Weliansch” be realy well sped‘Therefore, Hunk states tat if we ony have the structural dessin of Tangage very fit ay somting a0 the "Ges", the spt of the nation speaking that language “Welamsicter” have to be studied fn AL the begining fou emu apa curren of langage studies in Germany led “neo-deaisic ploy” ted to fck up that ie oer ny Inguises, a study of language wh ied to combine Inguiics th ‘iology. The postive nd scent convictions of maistean Inge ‘rere completly spin thse endeavors tht they sare actual carded From seriou ing research. Whatever one thnks about that enter, twelve to keepin mind tht, according fo Humld’ research program, "he Wanita” can best he sedi the development of ieratre. The Ssuctal description of nguages ia sacar perequse anda firth ees step Bt tis not the end of Hurboltan inguatic invention Hence, when Humbidtequits “language” and "Valls, “apie ofa rato, we ao hve 1 keepin mind that he dos not equate grammar and Tesco with that spit tthe ensemble of tes sriten i hat lngutge, ‘And hats someting aber det 2.3 Leveon and grammar {Let us go back to the passage where Humboldt sys that the indiusty of langage is tobe found inte les concepts ("Beg") as wel sin he {grammatilpropers ofa sven anguage (Humbe 1903-36 1-21). The ‘Sait of leccon an grammar in hat quote allows the concsion that “Weta isnot nyt be found in the lon but i very pose prt ofthe anage structure Here it may e sree again that this sees o event 0 us athe en of 1 contr of linguistic desea But ft was not even Hubs time, Weight even sy tht etl Fedch Sega’ dscvery of grammar 38 te coe of language and of comparivelngusts (due probably to the intuene of Indian grammars, the lon of Engi Sversty was anos ‘xchisively the leon Inthe French radon of eligtenmentdacasson Spiax— more precise word order lye a certin ole But the dierent ‘word views wore mainly considered o be located i the lec, a for = ‘Sane in Conia’ famous llusraon of he difercat "pes des lngues™ ‘of French an Lain, Conic (1746) compares the words for agycure ‘vd sate hat the iden aecenerer” in those words ~ we mould sty the onnotons ~ ae dilleten For the Romans, agrcutue and eveything ‘connected wih i as someing noble, forthe French, descendants ofthe lta people of he Francs, erclture sow and ula, and ence al he ‘ors connected with that ran have negative conotations "or Humboldt te ndvisity isthe econ ap wel an he gars, andthe diferent "Weamcen” are semantically much Seoer than just ‘Seotons As fr athe leon i oncerted, thee isin Humbolt a very ‘Starundersundng ofthe fren in lec! stcure between haguages 21 Lentcon ‘Teta oflnguage isto arf the wold it the prope ofthe mi Hunbolsdeseriber quite vil bow languages pero ths tnsformaton in diferent ways. Each language approaches the wo, a the ene of| ‘ht ea be thought na iiren Way. "Das kena the dnkable~ Tessa the md, betwen all langues, an hy al pprosch fa objective falda dhe subjective ways ie Sune der Erkmaren Bets dos von dom manson Gee 2 ‘rbot Flesch len Sr und arn vr De ts der Meck Kv sch ner en jv Gi ih ands Inch seiner Eromanga Empires oof mem een Wee ner (amb 1903-161 2). [Th sm of maybe aon a fll fay fhe aman mid is eal Sats naps an indepen tem. Man ea x p> Freche ain of pre tein me acdc this hn Was ‘epromung ad lng te stately Hamat 1971) Andre Humboldt has this very scr image of nguags cing that conman objective domain in dlret pieces “schon ds in ie Mite begene Geet, wen man das durch se bezchnete Objet so ene ten kam, auf verchclene Web ein uid ab” (Humble 190336 TV 29) {sient orca wp th rex they enclose in varius ways (Fone can hs = ‘ene the obec denoted), Hunbolt 1997-19). Heil’ wel knows ‘trtralis sch ilsrates excl the same ea of ferent design of ‘onemon sce “This apeoptaion ofthe cjeive word through the formation of ane cep or worde sen fo have to par te les ddl than the other, ‘tone ta seams tobe mare the place ofthe "Welsch of that parc Tange than the other Humboldt tht the designation of the ouside word, fing, of aia, of ple, of things you eas pon a, ders Tess fom language to language ha the desatonof "ursiche Gegen ‘code, of immaterial afer The designation of materi ects is more for less he sane inal lngunges, th gion ithe mae abjet sl,the referece. The words for immaterial bjs, othe other si, are ere tions of hat language Because languages cut ke common objective comin tn aernt pica by ering diferent concep structures ofthe “nate aD part ofthe wor. And, therefore, thn arvctralit conception of the lexicon refs more propery toe inurl prt. The indy of a popes, “Wetanster canbe found more es in that ph lexcon, Butts ot gute cect. Also the word for mater abet wich do ot cut th Geld no fret pices ve 8 jactve second Iyer of meaning beyond tferece where the individuality of that ngage comes to thefore Even languages denote the same mate cbjet, they eves “copes an india mane of epeseating tat objec” This "maner of | representing 2 matefal objec” is at so mucha diet suc sping tf space ora sre, uta india oocepualizaion of lve of hat Surface which ean be strctraly aiken other languages Here Bumbo’ famous elephant comes in. The elephant is conceved in Sars in ee fren ways "bald dr zweima Trinkede, ald der Zia, bald de tit ener Hard Vershene™ (Humbolé 190336 VIL 89, “the ooe ta inks two ties, the oe wth vo tet, the one that has oe had which sretive diluent cance ofthe same ajet I we ay within the domain ‘fis metaphors, Leal say dw the words for immaterial objets ‘oom dierent ess onthe sre, he words or mater ebjects are ferent colored in dierent languages (cr even wit oe language), eve if ‘he desig on the surf sth sane ‘And Humbolt goes een farther inthis respect. Even if thre is no a ‘inal eanceptuaation tl, a the ease ofthe elephant, the imple act (hat sound dif is also erence im “Welt” Concept ad Sound come togthar in the craton ofthe word, a we have een above “ece hs ote famous lal expe: Hurl states re than once his work that be who sas ford. equ opps does nt say the sme thing eve ifthe animal designated isthe same Daesce in vound i pr of ‘he dirence in "Welansch, sounds ot just an aluay and inet ‘utide appearance ofthe cone but san integral part af he concep 232. Grammar (One af the new moment of Hunbold's conception of nguages as "Wee ‘snscha ig that pramar ao oes fr te uty of langage. ‘The err of old wamaars was ops guages into te sour orm of Latin and Grea grammar, procedure that dl not tke into eso the ranmatcal individuality of languages Humbolt fights for sutra ée Seriptons of lnguages, ora yang of “he inerenberence” "mere Zosammestang’ of dvi engages. But what is grasa an Anscht” of, what doesn invita grams i a view oP Tis not he real of side objets andi is notte rea of immaterial objets, of feng, ‘alationgsbarat vines ee rama ncorpories ews ofthe kes of thinking, an the sft grammars, therefore, yl diferent ies of he iver ws of thinking For Humboldt, trained in Kanan philosophy. the nvr ln thinking ae the eteore to ich ead ets ive $s eaepois of pech ike the peso promis. Good sical deci ‘hone of the grammatical “ima ruses” ae investigations ino he posses of th angigeeresing human mid wich dos not only fice {he word ofthe objec St othe wold ofthe laws of thinking. Both ‘voi are univer objey atte laws of hinkng are the same forall Inman brings, bu the human bala can approach those domais oni ina ‘Sbjct a tha hough he languages inthe cversty nd ml ey. "Th aver to he quion of where th "Wotan i located may be sumed in he fling way: the "Welansieht x ost in grammar Wella athe lexicon, inthe srctur, but even ore nthe character” ‘Fa unguoge, e.in dicourses and texts, ‘tthe sae ims e ve also arsered one aspect ofthe question of how parclar or india and, hence, how relic these "Welar- Scher" ae The ak offering angagesought ~ the Ibo of the in, “ie Arb des Gites uve the spstion of ant de his work the tere of language”, “Spach!” ~ universal tbe word ~ the nner td the oter word ~ of whch languages are views is universal. So mary things ae universal, that Humbols dares in a very Chomskyan move one cat rake the sant tht thee i ot oe engage te aman race” Humboldt 1903-36 VI 301) Hr tha ne sentence coins the ‘Mima that “every angags even every dale is len" The un ‘eral tak eae npr an italy dierent ways 24 La meres verre enh For Hund, linguist divest, partialary, ndviduaty i a wonder thing Items punshmen, sour etre tas sued since he Tower of ‘abel, dreaming te nostalgic dex of nginic uty, Humbeldt does ct flow te tration of Bacor and Locke, who coniered the ndial “Siew” sedimented in partulr gange 8 “metaphyie erase' bat he flows Lenz, wo celebrated lnguisc diversity as a “mervilese ‘ace des operations de ote expe Lats 1768, 293) a a copnitve ‘ak Therefore, Hursbolt sates, i very an-Chomskjan move, tat itwould be wonder if the numberof lnguags could be eriacod to the umber of human begs on earth, since each guage dscovers something new. Diversity ~ and hence revo hoght isa essing. Here we ave Humbelt at hs mos ealatviic. Everybody shuld have (and ss) 2 fa tiearlanguage {J a ern dor Wa oh frbrende Gi dc tie grgbene Menge ‘Anche eet ede ham, sander ec ov et ot Nowe ned m0 ware er wince at de version Spacer 0 Str wereligen lex mmer eZ ron br bovainndon Mew crim Hal 10596 I 182), {aac she spt hat manos ln he ol coms be kao es {ely by ary hen ato views, bt sce exh guage heyy dscns ‘omg ev. Would be ood it wee posse oa th ie a ‘ines os mich a te mer faba he car wal alo ‘Buti al besings, mip also ia mixed one. The eogiive wen ‘San cbtacle to conmansesin, without any Sut. Humbolt doer nt deny ti fit But he does not fl int esigoation. He knows tht every ation evry ini as owe language and that Rene the wil ays be lina to communication Bu langage it never excel individ, Since fr the creation of language, we avays ned the oer We creat in the fice of the other who ties to understand and ho speaks to te ‘whom we try to understand. So, speaking sl alwys transcending the border ofthe solpsistindvdual But we ave ofc he fact of Hubs famous statement ta all comprehension is always atthe time fie oo compretersion "Alls Verte i daber immer mulch en Nicer Steben (Humboldt 1903-36 VI 64 The tindrance of omasuation the roto pay for the cognitive weath of angiages But cognitive wea and ves are also necessary confine for communication, soe if we all ‘hog the sume, wy shuld thee be communication, what would we communi” 25 Relay and perfection ‘hii the occasion to point to another Htton ofthe relay of the Hunbollian"Wetaniemen, Le to the asking of lsngunges in Hmbol, Which is die 0 thi diferem achievements in grammar formation Geek nd Susi ate comsdered sper to ste angusges case they ahve test inthe cretion of grammatical farms. Hunbol's rat m0 = ‘Bite indeentin nena swt mosty mea! when people sy tha things ae renive. With Leis, Homboit cleats the wonder ‘arty he human mid, ut be thks that ome of he varices do beter than ethers. This, ofcourse, i conequeee af his song universe anions Ont if ou havea iver mens, you ean sy that oss fever than y Aad Humbols measure are hs sniversiti neal gr. ‘cal convictions. Ths, for example, he knows fom phlbsopal gram. tear what aver fe or beter what ser has fo be He rows what & (trammatical form i or fast Be An, ene, only tose lngutges wich ve real verb in that sense or which have “re” ranma! frm tin see approche eal ‘But bere too, we Inve fo give Bsr comment on that amitedy surange and cutéted tat of Hunbolsthiking The now sent hs Time and in his werk Was nor hat cata laaguages do beter than others. verbody in Europe thought tht ~ general speaking ~ European a> aps were speir to the lnguges of he so-cald savages It could be aor Greek in Fance twas mostly Fence ote nnguags, bt it ‘vas common bi hat ou languages were bt tan those a he ober ‘othe ne desi ambos ot tht od-shoned European concep ofthe sper ofcenain guages Humbol's new message was athe ‘Sat all nngages ofthe aman race were prsous and worth sung "et auch ie Munda der robeen Nation tin eles Wr er Nato [Sie stein oganisehes Wese, und mn mss seals soles, betas kin” (Huma 190336 TV: 10) [Bu the det of even the mot prim tive tion isto noble a work of nature [-] Language sen eganc entity tnd must be rete ae sch Hunbold 19978) Hence, the elas ea was nem, and it alo gave anew va tothe dina ds of the superioty of parce lnguage Oreck and Sam Sst were superr a group of equal ified other guages they were prima intr pare they dd ete in Oe espa, Dut they the same jb a all the other languages. te formation of thought (le Bildung des Gedanker). “Tht thi den of the equal digit of al Inguages and nets was @ srange one 1 his contemporaries proven by Chateausiand, who daring 1 Shor stayin Berin ar 4 French ambassador ~ makes fon ofthe fx ht Humboli sade al thse languages, even he dalects of lower classes and a wid peoples. But indus, ths iste ew tn, te the also politely import ide. Ad, iT understand Labo (987.330) and Lee (1996 53) wel thi atiade was ls the pltical motive bling Whos? nites ning lat", aml o show othe e-called ciiand worl tht the lnguages of the ctr peoples are documents of what Lebaiz weldave elle he wonder vrety ofthe human min la merveilense vase es operon de notre expe” 24 Determinism ‘The question of reais is bays also question abot determinism. How dan Phisph, Bens. — wh rn ge Raat eCopt Daman Leia, Gtiied Wik, 1710, “rei esti iin de rigs etm, dete psi oxo nga Melle Berane Sind meme soontra Bris: Pape 116. — (176) Ron Ess or Handa ama a, ees Braschi), Pate Gur Farmar 965, Locke, (169, say Concern Homan Understand 2 vas. (on "We Yoton Lenn Det nd New Yor: Dat 1971-14 tc, Jin A 122 Lngnoge Dirty and Thonght & Rfomultion of the Lingle eis Hype Cambdge Car, Unvestyalo, Echar.1983. Hot Tine Lingus Avaya ofthe Temporal Con ‘ip nthe Ho Langage Betincte. Mace Par, Steven 198 he Langu ster New or Maro Sega: ach 188, Cre Sprache and ho dr Inder. in Brag “sw Bering dr Arunshnde Heo Mohr wed Zine (= prot Astra: Bans 17. “Tat Trg TORS Apts adr Der Sn der Sprache. Win von Hum ols rch Munchen, Fk — 1980 Trvonen unto, rake a Main: Suvan — 9s. "Veapte Benerangn tet de wdc Gena von enn ‘Mca (UGVENO In Hel sel Hao es), Portal Pare elon Ps Harald We). Taga Stl. 333-347 ‘Wh emia a 136 ange, wp on Rey Cai Mas erm Kiss, Tob, gen and Mur Voter, Kurt) 195 ‘Wien on Hunbolt ond ahe anrtanscen Sprachen Pade Sonia’ 179 INL J: pri eile acs te aio of Ss 19. IA Montana, senna Wt nic grr Poh mirc rb Py nnn gan man CU Se, HE: AUTME es rE BULLECK a REED) Fem Pm mgt once Peto awa ‘SRESKE Ton” Ogun cad RADOVANOWIE es) Har and Perce epee Sat ne 197, RNS, Tn slots LANDA ad an MARTI: Gomi Anis 189, NICHOLOV, Nise and sn MITKOW (es: Reset Adnce in Nua eno 190, BENMAMIOUN, Ec) Pepe a Lies eX Paes fo 191, SLC ate Rng hn ae 30, i thee fa ress Fo, gn 12 Mar Po 194 Catan Can KAY el ey Sena ad Lesa 19. Hanan. 5 atc Ba enror ts: {ses ie Pog Sire Pars 17 er RAE ont SAW hei tag IMEC Sed Re IRVEN ideo Li Relay 19: Mero aj Maa Posi nee puireeres 201, FOCHTRAGER Maks, Wt FRERMGOW es) Monn i Capri 202, LECARE us os LOWEN Ab td STLONSKY a Reh ‘aes rs ome idempe Are ane Spe