Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 109

;;

Chap.

I]

LANGUAGE

§ 40.

and conceptions follow each a way

85 of

their

own.

The

representation expresses itself by art in the image^ the conception by language in the ivord. This distinction main-

though by writing the word acquires and by description the image acquires in part the nature of the word. The word is written in figures, even if these are but signs, and the figure can also be pictured by the poet in words. From this intermingling of the two domains it is seen once more how close the alliance is between representation and conception, in consequence of the oneness of the action by which the tains its full force, even

in part the nature of the image,

understanding (facultas intelligendi) directs itself in turn to the elements in the cosmos and to the relations between these elements. This, however, does not imply that language serves no

memory in securing the capionce acquired by our consciousness against the destructive inroads of time. Much higher stands the function of lanhigher purpose than to aid the

tal

guage

to

make

tions the

the fund of our representations and concep-

common

property of man, and thus to raise his

individual condition to the

common

possession of the gen-

Without language the human race falls atomistically apart, and it is only by language that the organic communion, in which the members eral

of

consciousness

the

human

Language

is

ordinarily

we

of

humanity.

race stand to each

other, expresses itself.

Though word language almost exclusively as expressing a conception conveyed by sound, v/e also use it to express communications conveyed by the eyes, by signs, here used in

its

most general sense.

use the

by flowers, etc. and even if we take language in the narrower sense, as consisting of words, the imitation of sounds and the several series of exclamations plainly show that language is by no means confined to the world of concep;

tions.

The consciousness

sciousness of the other

of one actually imparts to the con-

what

it

has observed and thought out

of its representations therefore, as well as of its conceptions

and corresponding to this, language has the two fundamenforms of image and word it being quite immaterial

tal

;

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