Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Sprachauffassung

English translation:

conception of language

Added to glossary by Helen Shiner
Mar 27, 2009 17:53
15 yrs ago
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German term

Sprachauffassung

German to English Social Sciences Linguistics evolutionary linguistics
I expect this is going to be one of those obvious ones for those in the know, but I am feeling rather doubtful about my rendering of the sentence in question, and would be grateful for any comments from those with expertise in this field. My doubts hinge specifically around the term 'Sprachauffassung' - I want to get the correct terminology for the linguistics field, please.

This is taken from a text about writing-induced concepts of language.

Speaking of the emergence of alphabets:

Erst die Anpassung der semitischen Schriften an das Griechische [...] führt zur Unterscheidung von Vokalen, Sonanten, Konsonanten und damit zu einer kategorialen Unterschreitung der Silbengrenze. Es ist dieser Assimilationsprozeß, der dem Alphabet seinen einzigartigen Abstraktionsgrad verliehen hat. Jede Zuordnung der graphischen Form zu Anschauung und Begriff ist hier aufgehoben. Unter dieser Bedingung, nämlich durch die ganz formale Natur des Alphabets, kann erst die Idee der Grammatik als Systemisierung einer Sprachauffassung entstehen.

My rough stab at the last sentence so far is:

Only in this circumstance, that is, by means of the completely formal nature of the alphabet, can the idea of grammar as the systemisation of a conception of language come into being.

Any thoughts from linguistically gifted colleagues much appreciated.
Change log

Mar 29, 2009 19:45: Helen Shiner changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/882779">Helen Shiner's</a> old entry - "Sprachauffassung"" to ""Language conception or conception of language""

Discussion

tbilimava Mar 28, 2009:
'Systemisierung EINER Sprachauffassung' There can be (and there are) different conceptions of a language but just one at a time can form the basis of a particular grammar system. It's not like the division into nouns, verbs etc is the only way to reflect on a language, "THE Grammar". Take another conception and you can create another system - which is precisely what many grammarians did.
Helen Shiner (asker) Mar 27, 2009:
What I find particularly confusing, is that there are many books in German entitled, Die Sprachauffassung von - Alfons der Weise/Novalis/der englischen Vorromantik. These I would probably translate as 'conception of language'. In the sentence I have to translate here, I am wondering whether the author is inferring one conception of language, which to me makes no sense - why in that case not just call it language? Or does he mean that grammar assists any systemisation of language? Since he says 'Systemisierung EINER Sprachauffassung' I would have to go with the second interpretation. Please feel free to let me know if I have been working too hard and have lost the plot.
tbilimava Mar 27, 2009:
The chicken or the egg? I interpret it a bit differently. I believe the sentence states that an intuitive understanding of how a language functions (Sprachauffassung) has been there all the time and can at last be transformed into a system (Grammatik).
Anne-Marie Grant (X) Mar 27, 2009:
Too simple? .. grammar as a systematic framework through which language can be understood

Proposed translations

4 hrs
Selected

Language conception or conception of language

One section of the international conference "The Unifying Aspects of Cultures" in 2003 was called: "Standardvariationen und Sprachauffassungen in verschiedenen Sprachkulturen" | "Standard Variations and Conceptions of Language in Various Language Cultures".

Also see reference. Reposted upon request. :)

Peer comment(s):

neutral Lancashireman : Sorry, tbilimava. ‘Conception’ is a fine dictionary translation for ‘Auffassung’ but what exactly is a ‘language conception’? I would tend to agree with AMG (Discussion entry 1) that the ‘-auffassung’ suffix is redundant here.
39 mins
Please see my reply above.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Since this refers to various early languages, rather than just German, for instance, I think this is the correct answer in this particular context. I agree that were it related only to one language, it would not make much sense, but these are very varying grammars here, I suppose. Thanks to everyone for helping me gain clarity."
3 hrs

language formalization

I just want to offer a a translation deviating from the words used but capturing the essence in linguistics terms.
" Grammar as a basis for formalized linguistic structure can only be understood within a broader framework of formal nature of the alphabets"

Just my two cents :)
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Reference comments

44 mins
Reference:

Language conception or conception of language

One section of the international conference "The Unifying Aspects of Cultures" in 2003 was called: "Standardvariationen und Sprachauffassungen in verschiedenen Sprachkulturen" | "Standard Variations and Conceptions of Language in Various Language Cultures".

See the report in: TRANS, Internet journal for cultural sciences
Note from asker:
Thanks for this, tbilimava, that is just what I was looking for but could not find.
Could I ask you to post this as an answer when you have the time, please?
Peer comments on this reference comment:

agree Inge Meinzer
1 hr
Thank you. :)
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