Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Language
(2,188 words)

1. Concept

Natural language is a typically human and also a social phenomenon. It is the most important and species-specific human means of communication. Language facilitates the exchange of information, and fulfills cognitive (regarding knowledge), epistemic (regarding the organization of thought), and affective (regarding feelings) functions. The innate capacity to acquire a language (the native or primary language), …

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Schwarze, Sabine, “Language”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 21 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_027838>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20190124



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