The poetics of grammar and the metaphysics of sound and sign / edited by S. La Porta and D. Shulman.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

La Porta, Sergio.

Shulman, David Dean, 1949-

Series:

Jerusalem studies in religion and culture ; v. 6.

Jerusalem studies in religion and culture, 1570-078X ; v. 6

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Grammar, Comparative and general.

Language and culture.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (383 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book examines the seemingly universal notion of a grammatical cosmos. Individual essays discuss how many of the great civilizations provide cognitive maps that emerge from a metaphysical linguistics in which sounds, syllables and other signs form the constructive elements of reality. The essays address cross-cultural issues such as: Why does grammar serve as a template in these cultures? How are such templates culturally contoured? To what end are they applied — id est, what can one do with grammar — , and how does it work upon the world? The book is divided into three sections that deal with the metaphysics of linguistic creation; practices of encoding and decoding as a means of deciphering reality; and language in the widest sense as a medium for self- and cultural transformation. Contributors include: Jan Assman, Sara Sviri, Michael Stone, M. Finkelberg, Yigal Bronner, Martin Kern, Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony, Dan Martin, Jonathan Garb, Tom Hunter, David Shulman, and Sergio La Porta.

Contents:

Preliminary Materials / S. La Porta and D. Shulman

Introduction / S. La Porta and D. Shulman

Creation Through Hieroglyphs: The Cosmic Grammatology Of Ancient Egypt / Jan Assmann

Kun-The Existence-Bestowing Word In Islamic Mysticism: A Survey Of Texts On The Creative Power Of Language / Sara Sviri

Adam’s Naming Of The Animals: Naming Or Creation? / Michael E. Stone

Greek Distrust Of Language / Margalit Finkelberg

This Is No Lotus, It Is A Face: Poetics As Grammar In Daṇḍin’s Investigation Of The Simile / Yigal Bronner

The Performance Of Writing In Western Zhou China / Martin Kern

Counseling Through Enigmas: Monastic Leadership And Linguistic Techniques In Sixth-Century Gaza / Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony

Devotional, Covenantal And Yogic: Three Episodes In The Religious Use Of Alphabet And Letter From A Millennium Of Great Vehicle Buddhism / Dan Martin

Powers Of Language In Kabbalah: Comparative Reflections / Jonathan Garb

The Poetics Of Grammar In The Javano-Balinese Tradition / Thomas M. Hunter

How To Bring A Goddess Into Being Through Visible Sound / David Shulman

Translation And Transformation: Armenian Meditations On The Metamorphic Power Of Language

Index Of Names / S. La Porta and D. Shulman.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786611926489

9781281926487

1281926485

9789047421658

9047421655

OCLC:

646789984

Publisher Number:

10.1163/ej.9789004158108.i-377 DOI