“Language is the only homeland.”
― Czesław Miłosz
Frequently faced with inquiries about my academic pursuits, the common questions arise: "So, what did you study—Theology?" or "Philology, what is that exactly?"
Linguistically speaking, while the terms Theology and Philology may bear a semblance, they delineate distinct and unrelated realms of study. Instead of repeatedly delving into explanations, I've crafted a concise article—an essay, if you will—entitled "Philology: A Symphony of Beauty, Love, and Lifelong Learning." This piece aims to unravel a glimpse into the captivating world of the latter, where the nuances of language become a harmonious interplay of beauty, love, and an enduring journey of learning.
Language, culture, and literacy have always captured my attention. My late father, Dimitar planted the love of reading in me, and it is here to stay. During my high school years, I learned about the Esperanto language in my literature class, and I was fascinated to find out about a language that everyone can speak and master. What a neat concept, I thought. As I became more interested in becoming an Esperanto guru, I learned that very few people spoke that language. My dream of being an expert in Esperanto became Ex-pernato. Established in 1892 by its Polish-born creator, Lazarus Ludwig Zamenhof 1859-1917 Esperanto, means the one who hopes. Zamenhof wanted to eliminate linguistic discrimination with his new language. My fluency in French was almost flawless during my high school; however, French was not a popular language, English was. Over time, I lost my French fluency, but the solid foundation I gained from French was a valuable asset in my pursuit of learning English. As a visionary, I knew that English was on its way of becoming the new Lingua Franca. Today, everything from computer science to technology, product instructions, and travel maps is mainly written in English. Throughout history, language and people have always been on the move. The Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts, bringing their language, culture, and hopes for a better life. Socio-Economic and Political reasons have been the main factor that moves people. However, for me, the moving force was the love and beauty of the Language.
The root of the word Philology originates from Latin philology, which means the love of learning, love of letters, love of study, literary culture, and the Greek word philologia from Philo love, and logos word, speech. Philology, the profound study of language in its historical and literary context, goes beyond mere linguistic analysis. It involves a meticulous exploration of written texts, linguistic structures, and the evolutionary journey of languages.
At its core, philology encompasses various key aspects. Linguistic analysis delves into the intricacies of language structure, grammar, syntax, and semantics, tracing the evolution of languages over time. Textual criticism, another facet, requires the critical examination of written texts, deciphering ancient manuscripts, and establishing authoritative versions.
Etymology, a crucial element of philology, unravels the origins and historical development of words, tracing their roots and exploring connections between different languages. Literary criticism within the discipline extends beyond the analysis of literature; it interprets texts within the broader framework of societal and cultural developments.
Philology's applications are diverse and far-reaching. In historical research, it plays a pivotal role in reconstructing events and understanding ancient civilizations. Through textual preservation, philologists contribute to safeguarding ancient texts, ensuring their accurate transmission through generations. The study of language evolution contributes to our understanding of linguistic change, language families, and relationships between different languages.
Moreover, philological analysis enhances literary interpretation by providing a deeper understanding of linguistic nuances, cultural references, and historical contexts embedded in literary works. The insights gained from philological research also enrich language education, aiding in the more effective teaching and learning of languages.
In cultural studies, philology uncovers the linguistic and literary aspects of diverse cultures, bridging gaps and fostering a better understanding of shared human experiences. Overall, philology emerges as a valuable tool, unraveling the complexities of language, literature, and cultural history, contributing to a profound comprehension of human expression and communication.
Philologists leverage translation as a crucial tool in their fields, meticulously bridging the linguistic gaps between ancient and modern texts. By skillfully translating manuscripts, Philologists unlock the treasures of diverse languages, allowing for a deeper understanding of historical contexts and cultural nuances.
What is Language? How does language influence our behavior and thinking? These questions can be answered if we dig deeper into the studies of linguistics. The French father of modern linguistics, semiotics, and synchronic linguistics Fernand De Saussure, saw language in terms of systems and signs. According to him, language is always structured in a certain way. Language is like chess, he says. All pieces are dependent to a greater or lesser extent on each other, and moving one piece affects the potential of that piece, and changes the entire network that links the other pieces together. In language, things are much the same.
In linguistics, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is another important theory, which states that some thoughts and words are incomprehensible to individuals who speak another language. Consequently, an exact translation is not possible in all cases. According to this hypothesis, the way people think is strongly affected by their native language. The study of native American languages was Whorf's primary interest in linguistics, who is best known for his work on the Hopi Language. For example, when exploring the Language of Hopi he found out that Hopi has an entirely different concept of time from European languages. Additionally Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis includes Linguistic determinism, which states that language determines how we think and feel, and Language Relativity, language affects how people perceive and experience the world. Leonard Bloomfield is a notable linguist who shared light on the love and beauty of language. He comes from the school of the American descriptivist, founded by Franz Boaz. He mainly wrote about general synchronic linguistic theory, and he was the main founder of the Linguistic Society of America. For him, linguistics was a branch of psychology, specifically of the brand of psychology known as behaviorism. The principle of behaviorism is a principle of science, and Bloomfield focuses on linguistics status as a discipline. According to behaviorism, infants learn language through imitation, rewards, and practice from other humans. Last, but not least is Noam Chomsky, regarded as one of the world's foremost linguists. According to him, they are a few mysteries in his field, such as the origin of language. He states that ancestors acquired the capability to speak and understand language from a genetic mutation, which they passed on to their offspring. Chomsky emphasized the cognitive nature of language learning and the fact that children seem to be born with a general understanding of grammar; knowledge of universal grammar, known as Language Acquisition Devices (LADs) in the field.
Language is something all of these linguists loved, and they share one common bond: the power and beauty of languages. A linguist, before anything else, is a person who is passionately in love with the beauty of language.
While I lived in Colorado Rocky Mountains, my love of language led me to enroll in English classes through the library's Literacy Project. The Literacy Project was facilitated by my mentor, Judi Fonda, and we covered a lot of topics and subjects. One day during our class I spoke about my love of Bulgaria, and it turned out that my mentor was very familiar with Veliko Tarnovo. Years ago, The Library of Eagle, Colorado had a sister-library relationship with the Library in Veliko Tarnovo. The love of languages and God connects people around the world. I currently live in Plymouth, Minnesota, and I take delight in as a Beauty Consultant in my local pharmacy as one of my work ventures. Throughout my work and training, I have been constantly reminded of the importance of linguistics. There is no doubt that many cosmetic companies alter their language to get more customers and stay on top of the market. Although the content stays the same, it’s mainly the language that sells.
Language keeps on giving, never disappoints, and always delights. Living in a country that is different from my home country, and being able to think, dream, and speak in over six different languages has given me a new perspective on life. We can build better and stronger selves, communities, and worlds by developing a higher and better language. Ultimately, we are as good as the language we choose to use. There is almost a sensual longing for communion with others who speak different languages than ours. The immense fulfillment of the relationship between those engaged in furthering the evolution of consciousness and perception has a quality impossible to describe. Learning a new language brings us a new perspective. A new perspective brings us new life and new hope for humanity. A language lover, linguist can ignite a passion for learning and enlightenment in others. Beauty is born in language, of language, and for language. Language gives us wings that lift us above our dogmas and gives us roots that keep us grounded. In honor of my Bulgarian great-father Dimitar, and my father, Dimitar, I will never forget my roots, no matter where I move. The more I move, write and learn, the more I realize the impeccable power of language, to never be a stickler for terminology or prejudice, it only hinders our humanness. Language is always moving, evolving, but so are we, the people.
Thoughts are powerful, words are mighty, but the love of language is the ultimate true beauty of life.
Books, references ,and quotations from:
School of Linguistics by Geoffrey Sampson
Abhijit Naskar
Gaston Bachelard
Frank Smith
Zadie Smith
W.H.Auden
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Comments