Geflügelte Worte: Der Citatenschatz des deutschen Volkes

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

43759

Title

Geflügelte Worte: Der Citatenschatz des deutschen Volkes

Language

de

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A comprehensive treasury of German proverbs, quotes, and sayings compiled by Georg Büchmann and continued by Walter Robert-tornow. This 1898 edition offers extensive commentary on the origins, authors, and historical contexts of famous phrases from the Bible, folklore, and global literature, serving as an enduring guide to the linguistic heritage of the German-speaking world.

Summary up to 500 words

Geflügelte Worte: Der Citatenschatz des deutschen Volkes stands as a monumental philological achievement, meticulously compiled and explained by Georg Büchmann and later expanded by Walter Robert-tornow. First published in 1864, the work evolved over decades through a unique collaborative process involving correspondence with over nine hundred contributors. By the nineteenth edition of 1898, the collection had become a "multiplied and improved" version, correcting earlier errors and incorporating new entries to approach an ideal of scholarly perfection. The book transcends a simple anthology of sayings; it serves as a scholarly exploration of the "spiritual currency" circulating across nations. Its scope is vast, drawing from the Bible, German folklore, and writers from Denmark, France, England, Italy, Spain, Russia, Greece, Latin antiquity, and various European nations. Each entry provides the quote, its author, and often a detailed etymology or historical anecdote explaining its usage and evolution. A central theme of the work is the dynamic nature of language itself. The text highlights how words evolve, noting instances where terms like "Restaurant" or "Vandalism" were coined, or how phrases attributed to famous figures like Napoleon or Talleyrand were actually misattributed. For example, the book clarifies that the term "Vandalism" was invented by Bishop Grégoire to condemn the destruction of art, while the phrase "Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas" (From the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step) is traced back to Napoleon, though similar sentiments existed in earlier works by Marmontel and Thomas Paine. The work serves both as a vital reference for the educated public and a testament to the collaborative spirit of philology in the late 19th century. It aims to perfect the collection through continuous public input, treating the sayings as an essential supplement to the German vocabulary. Through this dedicated effort, the book became a world-renowned resource, preserving the wisdom and linguistic history of the German people while correcting the record on international quotations.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• German Literature
• Quotations