Theories of language
Richard Waswo
The Renaissance – as the name of a cultural movement and period enjoys still-lasting distinction self-creation. Not since Athena sprang full-grown from forehead Zeus (or Sin Lucifer's, in Milton's version) has an epoch so self-consciously defined itself, along with against preceding one, for all posterity. humanists' self-flattery was course expanded intensified later nineteenth century by Jakob Burckhardt, whose particular praises artistic, idealistic, individualistic energies continue to command allegiance stimulate debate today. Most periods are obliged make do what posterity makes them no contemporaneous residents ever labelled themselves ‘antique’, or ‘medieval’ get designated merely decimal tyranny calendar (the Mauve Decade; twelfth century) dynastic accident long reign (Victorian England; Carolingian France). Other may try themselves, our own seeks call itself ‘postmodern’, only produce continual dispute over contents label, additional irony that its inventor (Jean-François Lyotard) did not use it exclusive ‘period’ designation.
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