Reflections of a Nonpolitical Naturalist: Ernst Haeckel, Wilhelm Bleek, Friedrich Müller and the Meaning of Language

Author: di Gregorio M.A.

Source: Journal of the History of Biology, Volume 35, Number 1, 2002 , pp. 79-109(31)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Ernst Haeckel was convinced that the origin of language was the key to understand human evolution. The distinguished slavist August Schleicher was his original inspiration on that matter but his cousin Wilhelm Bleek was the deciisive source for his views of human language. Bleek lived in Southern Africa, studied Xhosa and Zulu, and had the rare opportunity to learn the bushman language which, with its characteristic clicks, suggested the form of the original human language in its evolution from ape-like sounds. Haeckel's view of anthropology based on cultural elements rather than physical characters alone was shared by other scholars including the Vienna-based Friedrich Mueller who applied Haeckel's approach in his studies during the voyage of the Habsburg ship ``Novara.'' Haeckel's anthropological views were heavily entangled with contemporary conceps of race so that he and Mueller related different languages to different human groups both from a cultural and racial angle. Such racialist attitude presented obvious political implications which all authors mentioned denied vehemently.

Keywords: Haeckel; evolution; language; race

Language: English

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Dipartimento di Culture Comparate, Università L'Aquila, Piazza S. Margherita Z, L'Aquila, Italy

Publication date: 2002-01-01