Humboldt, Worldview and Language

A study of the linguistic philosophy of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Prussian philologist and politician. It clarifies the main ideas and proposals of Humboldt's linguistic philosophy and demonstrates the way his ideas can be adopted and adapted by thinkers and linguists today.

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This title is a study of the linguistic philosophy of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Prussian philologist and politician. From linguists such as Sapir, Whorf and Chomsky to philosophers such as Heidegger and sociologists such as Bourdieu, the idea that a language shapes the worldview of its linguistic community has been attributed to Wilhelm von Humboldt, the Prussian philologist and politician (1767-1835). But despite lavish praise, Humboldt's thought- provoking ideas on thought and language remain largely unknown in the English-speaking world. Underhill's concise and rigorously researched book clarifies the main ideas and proposals of Humboldt's linguistic philosophy and demonstrates the way his ideas can be adopted and adapted by thinkers and linguists today. A detailed glossary of terms is provided in order to clarify key concepts and to translate the German terms used by Humboldt.