...commonly bound up some ' Considerations concerning the first Formation of Languages,' which discuss how ' two savages who had never been taught to speak, but had been bred up remote from the society of man, would naturally begin their converse.' Then there is a very curious ' History of Astronomy,'...

...may help us perhaps in discovering the true nature of the root, or the primum appellatum. Adam Smith. Some philosophers, among whom I may mention Locke,...remote from the societies of men, would naturally 1 Kant's Werlte, vol. xii. p. 20. 2 Sir W. Hamilton's Lectures, ii. p. 319. begin to form that language...

...commonly bound up some "Considerations concerning the First Formation of Languages," which discuss how " Two savages who had never been taught to speak, but...remote from the societies of men, would naturally begin " their converse.- Then there is a very curious " History of Astronomy," left imperfect ; and another...

...Smith. According to this philosopher, the assigning of particular names to denote particular objects is one of the first steps towards the formation of language. Two savages, for instance, who had never been taught to speak, but had been brought up remote from the societies...

...would gradually arrive at their present artificial and complicated state. Suggests that the assignation of particular names to denote particular objects —that is the institution of nouns substantial— would probably be one of the ttrst steps toward the formation of language. Speech of...

...simple and satisfactory. " The assignation" (says he) " of particular names, to denote par" ticular objects ; that is, the institution of nouns substantive,...be one of the first steps towards the formation of Lan" guage. The particular cave, whose covering sheltered the sav" age from the weather ; the particular...

...concrete, we end up by establishing a name for each thing. Adam Smith nonces this: "The assignation of particular names to denote particular objects,...be one of the first steps towards the formation of language";25 the other words are subsequently derived through antonomasia (according to the model "He...

...social reality in which language originates is given shape merely hypothetically in the picture of "two savages, who had never been taught to speak,...had been bred up remote from the societies of men" (SMITH 1761: 203). This difference in concept is interestingly reflected in the works which inspired...

...controversy among philosophers, whether language originated in general appellations, or in proper names.20 It is the question of the primum cognitum, and its...naturally begin to form that language by which they would endeavour to make their mutual wants intelligible to each other by uttering certain sounds whenever...

...Smith published in essay form). Smith represents the primal scene of language formation as a dialogue: Two savages, who had never been taught to speak, but...been bred up remote from the societies of men, would endeavour to make their mutual wants intelligible to one another, by uttering certain sounds, whenever...