Wisdom And Philosophy

Language From the Analysis of Dasein to the History of Being: Heidegger and his Thoughts on the Essence of Language

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Masoud Pourahmadali Tochahi

Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, Department of German Studies, Allameh Tabataba'i University

https://doi.org/10.22054/wph.2026.90323.2369
Abstract
The question of language and the question of Being are two fundamental questions that have accompanied Heidegger since the beginning of his intellectual and philosophical development. However, the way he engages with and reflects upon language differs before and after the fundamental shift in his thought in 1936, which he describes as two „leaps“ in which he moves from „analysis of Dasein“ to „history of Being.“ In the first leap, Heidegger examines language from the perspective of Dasein and human being; in the second, he considers it in its relation to Being. In both leaps, however, the question of language is a single question about the essence of language, linked to numerous evaluations, critiques, and attacks on linguistic and philosophical research on language, as well as on metaphysical conceptions of language, particularly those of the Greeks in the concept of Logos and the idea of animal rationale. In this article, we will trace Heidegger's inquiry to the essence of language in the indicated leaps and cycles of his thoughts. To offer a historical perspective on the genesis and evolution of these thoughts in each of these steps, we will consider his writings and speeches within the context of their historical development.

Keywords

Dasein
essence
logos
animal rationale
tradition
Subjects
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Wisdom And Philosophy
Volume 22, Issue 85
Winter 2026
Pages 311-355

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