Lectures on the Science of Language, Delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in 1861 [And 1863] (Volume 1) - Softcover

Muller, Friedrich Maximilian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1150112360 ISBN 13: 9781150112362

Publisher: General Books LLC, 2012

Synopsis

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1861. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 329 LECTURE IX. THE THEORETICAL STAGE, AND THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE. "In examining the history of mankind, as well as in examining the phenomena of the material world, when we cannot trace the process by which an event has been produced, it is often of importance to be able to show how it may have been produced by natural causes. Thus, although it is impossible to determine with certainty what the steps were by which any particular language was formed, yet if we can show, from the known principles of human nature, how all its various parts might gradually have arisen, the mind is not only to a certain degree satisfied, but a check is given to that indolent philosophy which refers to a miracle whatever appearances, both in the natural and moral worlds, it is unable to explain."* This quotation from an eminent Scotch philosopher contains the best advice that could be given to the student of the science of language, when he approaches the problem which we have to examine today, namely, the origin of language. Though we have stripped that problem of the perplexing and mysterious aspect which it presented to the philosophers of old, yet, even in its simplest form, it seems to be almost beyond the reach of the human understanding. * Dugald Stewart, vol. iii. p. 35. If we were asked the riddle how images of the eye and all the sensations of our senses could be represented by sounds, nay, could be so embodied in sounds as to express thought and excite thought, we should probably give it up as the question of a madman, who, mixing up the most heterogeneous subjects, attempted to change colour into sound and sound into thought.* Yet this is the riddle which we have now to solve. It is quite clear that we have no means of solving the problem of the origin of languag...

Edition details

• Publisher: General Books LLC
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1150112360
• ISBN 13: 9781150112362
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 114