Abstract:
At a time when systematic knowledge of the world’s languages first became possible, Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835) cast language as a vehicle to study the human mind and interpret human cultural difference. Long recognized as a canonical theorist, Humboldt also conducted massive empirical research through a global correspondence network bringing him reports from six continents on dozens of languages. He occupied a brief, fascinating moment in world history just before the globalization of knowledge was reshaped by the professionalization of scholarship.