CONTENTS
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I. | Semasiology of the Word, Volk—The Idea in Other Words | [1] |
| II. | Conceptions of Volk as Seen in Herder’s Use of the Term | [4] |
| III. | Conceptions of Volk as Gathered from Herder’s Collection of Volkslieder | [15] |
| IV. | Conceptions of Volk in Herder’s Discussion of “Ossian’s People” and the Ancient Hebrews | [22] |
| V. | Foundations of Individuality and Personality in Herder | [ 31] |
| VI. | Eighteenth-Century Thought in Herder’s Conception of Das Volk | [36] |
| VII. | Conclusion | [54] |
| Bibliography | [58] |
CHAPTER I
SEMASIOLOGY OF VOLK—THE IDEA IN OTHER WORDS
Before going directly to the main discussion of our theme, a background is sought in a brief semasiological study of the word Volk. The word is widespread in the Germanic languages; Gothic, however, offers no examples. Among the earliest recorded Germanic forms are those in Old English and in Old High German. Old English folc meant people, common people, multitude, a people, tribe, family, army:
“He sloh folces Denigea fyftyne men”—Beowulf.
“Folces hyrde”—Beowulf.
It was particularly used originally of a crowd of people. Skeat’s Etymological Dictionary suggests the possibility of its being related to both flock and full.
Old High German folc meant people, body of warriors, servants, crowd, mass. The oldest meaning here suggests forces of war: dhazs himiliscâ folc.
The word occurs in Old Frisian as folk; in Old Saxon, folc; and in Old Norse, folk; with meanings equivalent to those found in Old High German and Old English.