[lit-ideas] Conan, The Barbarian (Was: Ossian
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:25:12 EDT
Thanks to R. Paul for his comments.
>A barbarian was originally simply a non-Greek, so-called because >of his
unintelligible speech: barbarbarbar...and so on. >'Barbarian' was originally
neutral
I would be cautious there. Do you think it can possibly be (in Greek at
least) a neutral value-oriented expression?
(I'm using the turn of phrase, "value-oriented" in the precise use of Grice,
in "Reply to Richards").
I should consult the Liddell-Scott for early recorded uses of 'barbaros'.
The typical Gricean scenario I can think of (for this Grecian context) would
be:
1. Communication between human beings is a valuable thing.
2. These people before me say, 'barbarbarbar"
3. That is, to me, unintelligible.
4. And that in the strong _sense_ that it is not possible (conceivable) that
I will understand him (let's singularize the 'barbarian', and call him, to
please Ritchie, "Conan".
3. Yet, I'm calling him "Gobbledee-Gook" in a totally neutral fashion.
When was it, Ritchie, that "barbarian" became a _positively_ value-oriented
term in the Highlands? In the time of Ossian?
Cheers,
JL
************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
Other related posts:
