Article published In: Historiographia Linguistica
Vol. 23:1/2 (1996) ► pp.111–122
From pragmatics to semiotics
The influence of John Wilkins’ pulpit oratory on his philosophical language
Published online: 1 January 1996
https://doi.org/10.1075/hl.23.1-2.06sub
https://doi.org/10.1075/hl.23.1-2.06sub
Summary
John Wilkins’ (1614–1672) earlier work on pulpit oratory in Ecclesiastes (1646) and Gift of Prayer (1655) provide a rationale for his later work on philosophical language in his Essay towards a Real Character (1868). Clauss (1982) pointed out that one could view Wilkins’ linguistic writings as compatible, and the present paper advances her argument by showing that his work on philosophical language grew out of his work on pulpit oratory. Moreover, his pulpit oratory is rooted in pragmatics – how to move the listener to righteous action – while his philosophical language is focused on semiotics – how to convey the ‘true meaning’ of all things and notions.
Résumé
Les ouvrages du jeune John Wilkins (1614–1672) à propos du discours ecclesiatique dans Ecclesiastes (1646) et Gift of Prayer (1655) fournissent la raison d’être pour sa langue philosophique dans son Essay towards a Real Character (1868). S. Clauss (1982) avait remarqué qu’on pouvait percevoir les écrits linguistique de Wilkins comme compatibles avec ses ouvrages rhétoriques; l’auteur du présent article pousse l’argument plus loin en démontrant que le travail sur une langue philosophique émanait de son travail sur le discours ecclesiatique. De plus, comme ce dernier prend pour base la pragmatique – à savoir comment motiver l’auditeur à agir d’une façon vertueuse – sa langue philosophique a sa source dans une sémiotique – à savoir comment transmettre le ‘sens véritable’ de tous les choses et notions.
Zusammenfassung
John Wilkins’ (1614–1672) frühe Schriften zur Rednerkunst in Ecclesiastes (1646) und Gift of Prayer (1655) stellen die Grundlage für sein späteres Werk zu einer philosophischen Sprache dar, wie sie in seinem Essay towards a Real Character (1868) niedergelgt worden ist. S. Clauss (1982) wies darauf hin, daß man Wilkins’ linguistische Schriften als mit seinem übrigen Werk in Einklang stehend bezeichen könne; hier wird ihr Argument weitergeführt und gezeigt, daß seine Arbeit an der philosophischen Sprache seiner Kanzelrhetorik entwachsen ist. Darüberhinaus ist seine Kanzelrhetorik in einer Pragmatik verwurzelt – nämlich wie man den Hörer zu einer rechten Handlung bewegen kann – während seine philosophische Sprache auf einer Semiotik basiert – nämlich auf welche Weise die ‘wahre Bedeutung’ aller Dinge und Erkenntnisse vermittelt werden könne.
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Cited by one other publication
Poole, William
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