Filologija, No. 60, 2013.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Philosophy, Thought, Culture and Language — Some General Considerations
Mislav Ježić
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Sažetak
Concerning the relationship of Philosophy and the Croatian language questions may be raised on different levels:
Should one in Croatia write about Philosophy in Croatian, or in some world language: English, Chinese, Hindi, Spanish? Or in both?
Do all the works of Croatian authors belong to Croatian Philosophy, or only those written in the Croatian language? Or may even the works of foreign and universally aknowledged authors, when translated into Croatian, belong in a way to Croatian Philosophy?
Is Croatian Philosophy a part of the Croatian culture or not?
Is Philosophy an international profession in which career and scientometric (bibliometric) ‘excellence’ should be the goal, just like in Chemistry or Technology? Or is Philosophy engaged thinking about fundamental existential, ontological, cognitive and ethical questions for one’s own sake as well as for the sake of others — all of those to whom these questions matter? Is the relevance of these questions personal or universal, or both?
How are philosophical questions and argumentation formulated in different languages, and how are they translated from one language to another?
What are the stimulating factors and what are the limitations if one writes a philosophical text in one’s own mother-tongue, and what if one writes it in a foreign or a world language?
Are there some conditions for a language to be or not to be ‘philosophical’?
The paper discusses the concepts of opposite processes of language change and language development, and illustrates how language change endangers and limits while language development creates and enhances the potential of a language to express cultural contents, values, refined feelings and elaborate thoughts, including philosphy. Both processes are exemplified on classical European languages, Greek and Latin, and on modern ones such as French, English, German and Croatian. In their history, these languages provide evidence of their desintegration or degeneration in some periods, and of their regeneration and rich development in others. Complex interaction of European modern and classical languages enabled them all to function as literary and standard languages in all functional styles, but on different grounds and with different linguistic means. Any of these languages will continue functionning as a standard language only if it encompasses all functional styles, and if it does not, it will become unable to express its own as well as international culture.
The paper shows how the Croatian language functions in the realm of philosophical style, even more freely than some major languages. Therefore, there can be good reasons for a Croatian author to write about philosophy in major world languages in order to achieve a professional career, or to spread his message to a broader audience, but not in order to be able to express more elaborately philosophical thoughts. There are, on the other hand, equally good reasons to write in Croatian in order to contribute to the Croatian culture, or in order to think in a more relaxed, genuine and creative way.
Ključne riječi
Philosophy; Thought; Culture; Language
Hrčak ID:
116917
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.3.2014.
Posjeta: 2.360 *