[gothic-l] Re: The Gothic Migration Epic

[keth at ONLINE.NO]

Hails Dirk !

Then we have very different conceptions of what we mean
when we say the name of a country. I think in Norway,
when we mention the name of the country, we think mainly
about the landscape.

You, however, seem to be seeing "Germany" mainly as the
name of a state.

Well, I think that when Caesar first used the name,
or whoever it was, he mainly intended it as a name for
a geographic area.

Say to yourself "Die Alpen, schön sind sie !"
Then you are evoking an image of a *landscape*.

In the same way, to me, "France", for example, evokes
the image of a landscape; just as "Sicily", "Etna"
or "Krakatou". These I understand almost one hundred
percent as the names of these landscapes, and they have 
no relation whatsoever to what kind of political systems
happens to be in sway there at the moment. Political
systems come and go, but the territory remains.
(unless it were to go under in some cathastrophe)

Cheers
Keth



>--- In gothic-l at y..., "xigung" <keth at o...> wrote:
>> Then you don't distinguish between the name of a thing
>> and the thing itself. Say you find a stray dog and name 
>> it Daisy, but you don't know it used to be called Dolly.
>> Then the dog certainly existed before you found it.
>> When we say "Daysy is 8 years old", we mean the dog
>> and not the name.
>> 
>> Cheers 
>> Keth
>
>
>This example is certainly amusing, but I think it misses the point. A 
>political entity is not a unique individuum. Once you change its name 
>and identity you creat a new entity that was not in existence 
>previously. Of course the territory of modern Germany existed 2000 
>years ago as I said, but Germany did not. Using your logic all modern 
>states existed for hundred of thousands of years, because the 
>territory that they are currently occupying existed that long and 
>longer. Daisy (i.e. Germany) was born somtimes in the early medieval 
>period, maybe as child of Dolly (i.e. Germanic dukedoms) but it is 
>not the same as Dolly and should not be confused with Dolly.;->
>
>cheers
>Dirk



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