Intercultural Philosophy and Language(s)
The following text is based on the lecture “Language(s) of Philosophy – Philosophy and Language” held by Professor Rolf Elberfeld, University of Hildesheim, as part of the lecture course “Histories of Philosophy from a Global Perspective”, on November 13, 2023.
Thesis: Our language does not determine our thinking, but it suggests to us how we, others and things appear to us.
A particular language suggests a structure, and because our own language becomes so natural to us, we hardly notice what that language suggests. Only when we get to know different languages can we understand what is suggested by a certain language and then compare them in terms of the direction of attention that happens when we philosophize in a certain language.
“[…] But language is a world view not only because it […] has to equal the scope of the world, but also because only the transformation that it carries out with the objects enables the mind to understand that which is inseparably connected to the concept of the world. […] Man also lives mainly with the objects as they are presented to him by language, and since his feelings and actions depend on his ideas, even exclusively in this way.” (Wilhelm von Humboldt in The Heterogeneity of Language and its Influence on the Intellectual Development of Mankind, 1836)
Thus, language transmutes our experiences into a very specific form of expression, rendering what we undergo accessible through linguistic articulation. The realms of language, cognition, and emotion are closely intertwined, often leaving us oblivious to the subtle influences by language on our cognitive processes. Yet, this realization underscores the significance of acquainting oneself with diverse languages. Through such exposure, comparisons can be drawn, and thought processes may undergo a metamorphosis, evolving from the distinct structures suggested by various languages. It is precisely the plurality of languages or getting to know a plurality of languages that enables us to think about these structures.
Here is an example from the Japanese language:
“Squatting in front of the inkstone all your days, idle, lonely and abandoned and not knowing anything better than to write down whatever is on your mind as you please, that’s a strange feeling.” Yoshida Kenkō (1283-1350) „Tsurezuregusa“
This is how the preface to Tsurezuregusa (徒然草, Essays in Idleness, by Yoshida Kenkō begins. The work is an absolute classic in Japan, and all Japanese students must memorize this beginning. Note that there is no "I" in this translation, which is faithful to the Japanese original. It is written in the medium voice that is neither active nor passive and provides a way of expressing a state where the individual is immersed in a situation or a process. The Japanese language already suggests that something like this happens, while thinking in the English language suggests acting actively and intentionally, because after all, active voice is used much more often than passive voice and usually has a more positive connotation.