Abstract
Walter Benjamin's philosophy of language centering on "pure language" (die reine Sprache) is considered as the primary motive power of all his further theories. It is not only related to many themes in Benjamin's philosophical landscape, but also shows a writing style, the philosophical background of which is known as "Irrkünste". However, in the scholarly discussions on Walter Benjamin in China, this critical stage was either marginalized or reduced to be the adjuvant of some grand theories, overshadowing its theoretical potential and connotation. This article analyzes the key term of Benjamin's early philosophy of language, "pure language", specifically by looking at the explanatory essay in 1916 ("Über Sprache überhaupt und über die Sprache des Menschen") and "The Task of Translator" (Die Aufgabe des Übersetzers), in order to further examine the connotation and significance of his philosophy of language.
First Page
85
Last Page
95
Recommended Citation
Wan, Fanke. 2020. "What Is "die reine Sprache" about: A Discussion on Walter Benjamin's Early Philosophy of Language." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 40, (6): pp.85-95. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol40/iss6/22
