Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz
In his 1677 Dialogue, Leibniz answers the question of how it is possible that speakers of different languages agree on the same truths by postulating “a certain correspondence between characters and things”. In the mid-1680s, he arguably attempts to specify this “correspondence” by explaining how...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari
2021-12-01
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| Series: | JoLMA |
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| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.30687/Jolma/2723-9640/2021/02/005 |
| _version_ | 1797464631850041344 |
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| author | Mugnai, Massimo |
| author_facet | Mugnai, Massimo |
| author_sort | Mugnai, Massimo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
In his 1677 Dialogue, Leibniz answers the question of how it is possible that speakers of different languages agree on the same truths by postulating “a certain correspondence between characters and things”. In the mid-1680s, he arguably attempts to specify this “correspondence” by explaining how linguistic particles are connected to our perception of spatial relations among things in the world. Firstly, this paper focuses on the role that, according to Leibniz, signs and characters play in our knowledge. Secondly, it introduces the solution that can be found in the Dialogue to the problem of how the same truth can be expressed in different languages. After briefly expounding Leibniz’s theory of natural languages, the paper gives an account of Leibniz’s analysis of the nature of prepositions and of how they contribute, in a natural language, to determine the correspondence between characters and things that is mentioned in the Dialogue.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:10:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8d1d5ec64e8c40ecbd35a0e6f8f8b7ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2723-9640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:10:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JoLMA |
| spelling | doaj.art-8d1d5ec64e8c40ecbd35a0e6f8f8b7ab2023-11-24T09:11:11ZengFondazione Università Ca’ FoscariJoLMA2723-96402021-12-012210.30687/Jolma/2723-9640/2021/02/005journal_article_6194Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to LeibnizMugnai, Massimo0Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Italia In his 1677 Dialogue, Leibniz answers the question of how it is possible that speakers of different languages agree on the same truths by postulating “a certain correspondence between characters and things”. In the mid-1680s, he arguably attempts to specify this “correspondence” by explaining how linguistic particles are connected to our perception of spatial relations among things in the world. Firstly, this paper focuses on the role that, according to Leibniz, signs and characters play in our knowledge. Secondly, it introduces the solution that can be found in the Dialogue to the problem of how the same truth can be expressed in different languages. After briefly expounding Leibniz’s theory of natural languages, the paper gives an account of Leibniz’s analysis of the nature of prepositions and of how they contribute, in a natural language, to determine the correspondence between characters and things that is mentioned in the Dialogue. http://doi.org/10.30687/Jolma/2723-9640/2021/02/005Knowledge. Leibniz. Natural Languages. Prepositions. Spatial Relations. Tropes |
| spellingShingle | Mugnai, Massimo Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz JoLMA Knowledge. Leibniz. Natural Languages. Prepositions. Spatial Relations. Tropes |
| title | Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz |
| title_full | Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz |
| title_fullStr | Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz |
| title_short | Prepositions and Spatial Relations in Natural Languages According to Leibniz |
| title_sort | prepositions and spatial relations in natural languages according to leibniz |
| topic | Knowledge. Leibniz. Natural Languages. Prepositions. Spatial Relations. Tropes |
| url | http://doi.org/10.30687/Jolma/2723-9640/2021/02/005 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mugnaimassimo prepositionsandspatialrelationsinnaturallanguagesaccordingtoleibniz |