If I'm going to criticize you, Imago, my conscience requires that I also concede/celebrate when you've come through, done very well -- which I feel you do in this posting.
For a more simple-minded approach to translating 'heisst', go to one of the internet translating services -- "Google translate", say -- and put in the word 'heisst'. The "answer" that comes up is: 'means'. (Incidentally, Imago, to help you recall our clash of two or three years ago, I should report that I'm the guy who annoyingly discerned that English is not your native language. But, you have, say I, learned it extremely well. ((Granted -- I can't judge your accent.))) In a message dated 8/1/10 1:15:19 PM, [email protected] writes: > > Yes, the translation is "But what is this named?" Or, What is this > > called? > > The words do NOT say "What does this mean?" This was W's point, that > the > > name > > is one thing (identity) and the meaning is another. > > > > I am no translation expert and would need to look over the context to be > certain, but the translation of "Aber was heisst das?" as "But what does > that mean?" is fine. One could nevertheless omit the offending word > 'mean' > entirely, and legitimately translate Wittgensteins remark as 'But what is > THAT?" Although Ms Sullivan is correct that the German, "Wie heisst du?" > means "What is your name?", the utterance, Was heisst das? is usually > taken > to mean 'what does that mean?' (with indexical force, as if to point at > something in front of you). The difference between the 'was' and the > 'wie' (plus the accusative/nominative pronoun difference) indicates the > salient differences. One can also use the formulation 'Das Heisst' > (abbreviated as d.h.) to mean 'that is to say' (i.e., or viz.). There is > an > ambiguity, then, in the German 'heissen,' which does not come across in > English very well. One fnds the same semantic range in the French, > "Qu'est > ce que (c'est)" In fact, a translation option for heissen would be > 'signifier' (accents omitted because the list serve does not support > them). > > In any case translation is contextual and we cannot proceed atomically, > word > by word. > > > > > On Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 12:33 PM, William Conger <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > Yes, the translation is "But what is this named?" Or, What is this > > called? > > The words do NOT say "What does this mean?" This was W's point, that > the > > name > > is one thing (identity) and the meaning is another. > > wc > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > > Sent: Sat, July 31, 2010 7:09:47 PM > > Subject: Re: Validity of Cheerskep's Argument > > > > In a message dated 7/31/10 6:00:59 PM, [email protected] writes: > > > > > > > " By the way, you take Wittgenstein to task for writing, "But what > does > > > this mean?"--in particular, his use of "mean." But that's the English > > > translation. What does it say in the original German?" > > > > > > It says, "Aber was heisst das?" > > > > > > > It means what is this called,how shall I name this? People ask Was > heisst > > Sie, meaning wht is your name. > > Kate Sullivan
