Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

623 Pages·1949·35.27 MB·English

by  Edward Sapir, David G. Mandelbaum

Selected Writings of

Edward Sapir

in Language, Culture
and Personality

EDITED BY DAVID G. MANDELBAUM —

Berkeley, Los Angeles, London
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.

London, England
Copyright, 1949, by
The Regents of the University of California

Sixth Printing, 1973
ISBN; 0-520-01115-5

Manufactured in the United States of America
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

scholars who are spoken of by their colleagues in terms of genius.

‘The papers velccted for this volume give only part of the reason
fot that judgment, for there way an uncommon quality of the man
himself which attcacted and stimulated—inspired may not be tao
strong a word many of those who knew him.

His (alents were manifest in muny fields, in none more byilliantly
and effectively than in linguisties. Ie had a truly phenomenst knowl-
edge of languages; linguists have commented that his command of the
facts, of specific linguistic phenomena, was unsurpamed amoag linguis-
tie gctenljats. Supiv begun hig linguistic studies in the field of Germanies
while he was still an undergraduate. Early in hia graduate work he
undertook the recording and snalysis of an American Indisa language,
Takelms, and throughout his professions} eareer he carried on inten-
sive work within the various families of American Indian languages.
When w speaker of the West Afcican language Jubo (Chweubo) was
found working in a Chieago bowling alley, Sapir availed himself of the
opportunity 10 extend his linguistic knowledge of the African field, Tn

Dee Sapm waa one of those rare men among scientists and

later years, bis interesls turned again to problems in the Indo-European
group and he found time to continue work on languages of the Sinitic
and Semitic stocks as well.

Tn all his work on these diverse tongues, Sapir showed x sure grasp
of the basic form and the interlocking eloments of the structure of each
language. ‘The Sanskrit scholar, Franklin Edgerton, has put it thus:
“He seemed able to mect every one of us on our own grounds, to sec the

minutia of many provinces as with » maguifying glass, and at thx
same time effortlessly to survey the whole terrain.” And bis ability to
view the whole scope of language extended beyond the sheerly formal
agpocts of specch. Formal linguistic deseriptions and analyses were,
for Sapir, only the beginning of the Jinguist’s task. For he understood

‘rhe reforeneca in this introduction, excopt where ot
cbitaey notices written by the following oators snd fat ny order of
Franklin Edyorton in Trax Boot of the Artricen Phllowopkical Society
pp. 460-461; Brana Bou in Enternaflonal Journal of American Linguistica, 30:
BE, Morris Siradest to Lenguaga, 3 (Und): 102-100, Rath Reaedct in Amerione
“Anibropologiet At O98): Sof}, Diaorond Jones: i Pranscetons uf the Read
Booiety of Canada, 83 (S990) 11-183; EA. Hopton tn Provoerhngn0f the marion
eof Ate and Senza, 14) as ae aie in, Shenes, 60 UB):

8 (Taouin Hjctmalee in cla Linpuictiens 1 G99), TH Leslie opior in Aarn,
59" md B28, ee ” ”

{¥]
vi Fréroduction

linguisties as & social science, and every language as one aspeel of a
whole cultarc. In his writing and teaching he stressed the itoporiance of
dealing with the phonomen:

studying spoech jn its social setting,

Supit’s fied work among American Tndiun trikes wus done primarily
a collect data for linguistic study, but jt also furnished material for
papers which dealt with the tribal cultures, In ethnology as in Enguis-
ties, Supir bad a way of illumiouting an anay of facta} data, with
felicitous theoretical insights. Some of his earlier writings in American
Indian ethnology, particularly the Pime Perspective in Aboriginal
American Culture, twwe become classies in that they are reud by mast
sdents professionally interested in anthropology.

As he developed his thinking conacening the processes of cultare
growth, Supir came increasingly to deal-with fundamental problems of
cullure theory. Tn @ number of the pupers written in his matte years,
his insight into enlturea genorully is brought to bear on the problems
of our culture. His examining of the outer fwets and inner forees of
contempormy life was aceorapanicd by two developing interesis: one
had to do with semantics, particulsely the semantics of Fnglish: the
other, with the interplay between culture and personality. Hig writings
jn the taster field especially have had important induence.

The same veasitivity to nuances of language and custom, the same
feeling for form which made Sapir so gifted a scholar, cnabled him to
write postry. The extonsive list of his published poems which appears
at the end of this volume is but one indication of Supir as se artist,
for his aesthetic gilts shone through all his writing and his teaching,
A linguist onec remarked thet, tor him, Sapir’s analysis of the Navaho
word for com was un artistic masterpiece. And in less recondite fields

as Well, Bapi’s works have savored of aesthetic as well as intellectual
accomplishments,

At one period, mainly during his yeurs at OHawa, he wus a frequent
eonisibutor of musieal and literary criticiam to auch jonmuls as The
Dial, The Nation, and The Musical Quarterly. An able pinnist himself,
and one who had tried his hand st musieal composition, he was able to
vite about a work of muse with on understanding which encompasved
the variant meanings for composer, for performer, and for listener,

Hiis literary critivism is marked by a sure depth and discernment,
His seumen clove clean to the heart of a piewe of writing, nor would he
be distracted by mew phrasingy or unfamiliar trappings, Thua he was
one of the first to herald the influence which the poetry of Gerald
Manley Hopkins was to have. itis critiques of scientific writing are
Introduction vii

no less Keen, and are equally appreciative of fresh approaches. Sapis's
reviews of some of the early psychoanalytic writings taay still serve 40
sum up the anthropologist’: appraisal of the Freudian concepts.

‘His own scientific contsibutiuns, in every ficld of his endeavor, are
marked by a freshness and an originality that bespoak the intellectual
vigor and intuition that he possessed. ind he was eapable af documaent-
ing his inwtitive insights with w broad control of factual data. Not all
were so documented, for the flashes of hiy vision sometimes extended
beyond the frontiers of fully controlled data. Henee some of hia writing,
is progtwmmatie and pioneering rither than definitive, But alrays,
even in his slighter papers, there is cognizance of basie form und fanda-
meatal racanings, and not infrequently s reader has felt that Sepir has
opened whole new vistus of knowledge for bir.

Tt may_he too soon te assess the real impress of Sapir's work on the
course of linguistics and anthropology, but a. number of his fellow schot-
ars have attested the influence of his ideas. Jusl two such comments
may be cited. One is hy his teacher, Franz Boas, who noted that, the
strictures of the phonetic method and the gencrsl adoption of phonemic
principles in the study of primitive languages are largely due to him.

And treating of another field, Clyde Kluckhoka says that the tough
insights which Sapie drew from psychiatry aot only forced » basic
veeanstruction of anthropological postulates but led to new types of
specifically pointed field work! Not a few of his colleagues and stu-
dents ure still following through the research leads whieh Sapir first
indicated to them.

Sapir was bom in Lauenburg, Germany, on January 26, 1884, When
he was five years old his parenis migrated to the United States, where
his father, Jacob Sapir, carried _on his profession of cantor. Edward
Sapin's abilities found early vecognition, for be won scholarships xt
‘Horace Mann School and then 9 four-yene Pulitaer fellowship to Colum-
bia College, whore he was guuduuted in 1904, [le went on to do gradute
work at Columbia and took a Master’s degree in Germanies. About shis
time he eare to know Franz Bous and, ns Morris Swadesh has wrilten,
came nwuy (rom a conference Wilh Boas impressed that he had every-
thing to lear sbout Iangnage. For every generwizution he had before
believed was certain und exceptionless, Roas could summon indubiteble
contrary examples from American Tndian languages he knew. Sapir was
stiered by the proapect of stadying living Innguages through the record
ing and analysis of the dinleets of native speakers. Hence at the end of

In One Hundred Years of American Payckiatry, 1. K, Hall, gen. ed. (Now
York, 20849, p. 604
vi Introduction
hig frst year of graduate work he went to the state of Washington to
study the language of the Wishram Indians. Ta the following year he
jourmeged to Gregan to work on the Takelma language, the gr: a

which he presented as his doctoral dissertation. His first papers, pub-
lished while be was in his early twenties, are no apprentice fumblings,
but models of clarity and keen analysis.

For a year, 1907-1908, he was tesewich assotiate in the Department of
Anthropology at the University of California, and worked on the Ian-
guage of the Yana Indians. Hie slay in Berkeley remained 1 favorite
memory, a period of concentruted achievement and pleasant ascocia-
tions, He then went to tbe University of Ponnsyivanin for two yeers,
first _as follow and then as instructor. Th 1909 he wad awarded the
Ph.D. by Columbia, The Mugcum of the University of Pennsylvania
sponsored his field trips to the Ute Tadinns, und arranged to have a
Paiute student, Tony ‘Tillebash, from the Tadian school ut Carlisle,
work with Sapir in Philadelphia as linguistic informant. Although the
Paiute materials did not receive full publigation until 1930, pupers
based on them appeared carlier and formed significant sdvenves in
the comparutive Americun Indian linguistics

In 1910 he went to Ottawa as chief of the newly created Division of

thropology inthe Geologieal_Survey_of_the Canadian National

‘Musewn, in the same year he ruuried Florence Delson, and his three
children of this marriage, Michael, Helen, ond Philip, were born in
Citaws. Sapir’s fifteen years in Canada, were somewhat dulled by iso-
Intion from the men of science and geholanship with whom he ad most
in common, but they did provide ample opportunity for field. work with
Tndiun tribes, Tt wns during this period that he did his major work. with
the Nootka. of Vancouver Island; he began hie long study of the Atha-

pasean langusges with [he Sarcee of Alberta; ‘{lingit, Kutehia, and
Ingulik were some of the other Inoguages of the Tadinns of Canada,
that he recorded. In addition to bis intensive work with Canadii
Indians, he found energy for several diverse projects. Wilh the secretary
of Ube Chinese legation in Oltawa he worked oul a study of Chinese
humor and folklore, He translated and trangoribed many Treuich-
Canndinn folk, songs, some of which were published in a volume with
the collaboration of Marius Barbeau, Ife gave a course on English
Titerature before a local Ottawa society. Music and literaimre were his
chief reluxation; the greater part of his poctry and musieal studies was
done during this period.

When a call to the University of Chicago came in 1925, he wae glad
to accept. His wife had died shortly before, ufter a long illness, and he
Introduction. ix

jd became restless in Otlawa. And the post at Chicago at last gave
ample scope for the oxercise of his talents. Ruth Benedict bas written
thatthe position _at Chicago swas_one_he_was_niquely quatified
adom, He attracted graduate sutdenis in Jinguisties whom he could
ain in the rigorous methods he had developed, And students in ethnol-
oxy were drawn to him as well. Ilis fold work was continued with trips
to the Hupa and Navaho. He was in great demand to speak to groups
of all kinds outside the university. Within two yenes of his urtival he
was promoted to the tank of Professor of Anthropology and General
Linguisties. Honors and recognition came in quick succession, and it
has been said that at this period Sapir was easily one of the mast jn-
flucntial figures in Americnn anthropology.

Sapir's six years at Chicago were happy onos He maxried Jonn
MeClenaghsn-in-1926-and- their firat-eon, Paul, was-horn there. Their
second son, David, wus bora in New Haven, where Sapir had accepted
a Sterling Professorship in Anthropology and Linguistics at Yale.

‘The call to Yale in 1931 was s most attractive one. The terms af the
appointiaent were 30 favorable that Sapir was able at once to set up
‘one of the great centers of anthropological and Hingnistie: work in the
in 1932-1033 he guthered a unique seminar of foreign students
—holding scholarships trom the Rockefeller Foundation to atudy the —
pact of culture om personality.

His yeurs nb Yale were strenuous ones, Administrative duties and
ontific responsibilities made demsnds on him while his adventurous
inind was ranging ever farther into new Gelds and deeper into Lhose
with which he was long familiar. A series of beart atfacks in 1937 and
1988 brought him under a doctor's regimen of quiet and a slower pace,
bout his intellectual cnthusinsms would not he contained by the restraint,
which his physical condition demanded. Ue died of the ailment on
February 4, 1939,

Tt is no difficult task to give the measure of the mam in terms of his
official honors. His position at Yule, the honorary Doctor of Science
degree which Columbia University awarded hint in 1920, his member-
ship in the National Aewlemy of Seienoes, hiv election to the olfice of
president of the American Anthropological Association und of the
Linguistie Society of America—these and his other titles bear witness
that high academic distinctions were bestowed on Faseurd Sapir,

Tt is more difficult to indicate what Sapir meant to those who knew
him and were his students. Listening to hien could be 2 Ineid adventure
in the lield of idens; one came forth exhilarated, more than oneself,
Diamond Jones, Sapi’s successor at Ottawa, relates how he onoe
x Introduction

saw Sapir enter hell filed with tumultuous children, “... and with

aly thice scraps of puper, one white, une yellow, onc black, bold ther
__spelthonnd for an hour while he discoumed, simply and clearly as only—

2 great scholar wn, on human rates and their differences

‘With his contemporaries, as Larnest Maoton haz noted, he tended to
be shy. But as soon as he felt the social atmosphere to be congenial he
unfolded all his unusual porsonal charm and became s most brilliant
and fascinating companion,

Alig students found in Sapir 9 sympathetic mentor and the kindliest
of men, With him they could stand high nd see the subjects of their
study from the panoranie view and ia an integrated, synthesizing
manner. For their particular scientific problems, he was ever willing
to give generously of Jus guidanet, Tf one of us was uble to present a
striking new ides or fresh and valid evidence to revive an-old concept,
he was ubvvays ready, even cager, to take it up and carry it forward,
die had no vested intellectual interests.

Sapir had a staunch belief in human rights whieh ted him to resent
oppression and discrimination wherever they cecured. Tis attitude
waa not only the observant and analytic one of the anthropologist
whose training admits him los plice in the press box of the human

arena; for, in his utter years especially, he felt that «place at, the ob.
servation post doe not oseltdle one from a share in the setion on the
field. He becurne inereasingly interesterl in Jewish affairs, lending his
support tn the Yiddish Scicntilic Institute and participating iu the
program of tho Conference for Jewish Relations

Ta conversation be would occasionally tell how profoundly Judaism
had affected his life. Duting childhood he had rebolled aguinut it. The
interminible regulations, the blinding restrictions of orthadoxy seeroed
‘unnecessary, intolerable. But as he grow older be came more snd more
to appreciate the yrand plan that lay henesth the irksome details,
Toward the end of hia life he tamed to the cthnological and linguistic
study of the ‘'almud, und in it he found both the delight of the punvuit,
of scholarship and invigoration af spirit

Only small bits of his extensive studies in Bomities were ever pub-
lished. Indeed, the swift inclosing of hie illness and death deprived
seience and scholarship of the results of a number of studies which he
had carvied far along, Among his papers there wus left a large ollec-
tion of notes on Tochariaa, an Indo-Muropean Ianguage once spoken in
central Asin, Jenness notes that for many years Sapir had collected
materiuls for a study which might indicate a possible relationship
Debween ancient Sinilie forms and old forma of the American Indian
Entroduction xi

juaguages which he grouped under the nue Na-Dene. A magnificent
qollectina of cthnological materials eoucerning the Nootka, Yana, and
‘Aupe is menti wy Leste Spier One of s major projeets left

Uncompleted was « hook which had been tentatively titled The Pay-
ology of Cultwe, an aniline for whieh had been submitted to bis
publisher, It is fortunate that some of Sapir's associates have worked
with and published parts af his notes, ae Hary Hojjer hus done with
the Navaho linguistic materials, Morris Swadesh with the Nootka
torts, and Leslie Spicr ith the Yana ethnological observations, Still
moro are 40 be utilized far further publications.

For all the musa of unpublished studies which Sapir loft, the list of
his publications ix no inconsiderable one, Bul. it is, with » single ex:
ception, in the form of monographs sud actieles, ITis one genet] book.
‘Tanpuage, Was published in 1921, and Jenness tella that it wae dictated
in the spaeo of two months from u few hastily jotved notes. In after
‘years Gupiv would comment thas if he were to do it over, the book
fronted eopiain new ideas and yome of its concepts would be revised and
presented in quite a different way. Such, in fact, wos Sapir’s uttitade
toward all his work, As his thinking developed, und new information or
now principles required the revision of some of his earlier postulates

od to at
fuse vith advances in knowledge, Nonetheless the book vem:
novahle contebution to linguistic science. Thus the Danish Gagnist
Louis Hjclmstev lus written that, when he first read the work, it was to
iim a vevelation and @ confirmation of his own vague anticipations of
establishing a comparative general Hnguistios that would supersede
the previous kind of approach.

‘the pi volume is intended to present, in nooessible form, these

of Sepit’s writings which carry the gist af his thought. No passn;
Trom Language bave been included since that. book is niore rend
available than are most of the gourees in which the journal articles
originally appeared. The phonctie orthography of the Tinguistic pap
hag been reproduced us it, appeared in the original version of each ar
ticle. ‘The editor is most grateful to the many colleagues and former
students of Edward Supir who were consuked and who aided in the
selection of these papers, but the responsibility for the selection is the
editor's alone. Special thanks are due to Mis. Jean Supir, who gave the
editor [ull lecway in the preparation of this volume, und to Philip Sapir,
who-aided-in-many—wwayy. ‘he-general_bibliogmaphy_was originally
prepured by Leslie Spier, and the poetry bibliography was onmpiled
by Philip Sapir; both Tue heen slightly revisol und brought up to
Introduction

date by Mrs. Mary Anno Whipple, who also has been. most helpful in

the preparation of the manuseript,
On-th ss f

iele-ond -pt-ineluded-in-thi

volume thore is notation of the original publisher of the pices. Al
appear with the permission of the original publishers; our thanks are
extended to these publishers for their permissions.

A few months before Sapir’s death, plans were made by his students
to present bim a volume of studies written in his honor. Knowing that
he was seriously ill, the group decided to tell him of the plans. [fe re-
sponded with characteristic modesty, disclaiming any right to special
honor, but expressing his plessure and the pride he felt in his studenta.
‘The volume appeared in 1941 under the title of Language, Culture, and
Personality: Essay in Memory of Edward Sapir, and was cdited by
Leslie Spier, A. Irving Hallowell, and Stanicy 3. Newman. Those
ossays ave an indication of the eontinuing vitality of Sapir’s influence.
An cminent psychiatrist once remarked chat Sapir wus an intoxicating
mun, ‘Thut he was. And the stimulus of his life and work will continue
to enliven many of bis students and associates for a Tong titne to eotne,

Leslie Spier hus aptly noted that ne life can be long enough to we-

complish the program Supir set for himself, buk we can only regret
that_hi ‘L-w0-briel.-Yotfor-all-the-untimely-end_to-hi ‘

Tavurd Sapir made much of his times, his talents, his opportunities;
se much, indeod, that many will subscribe to Eamest Hooton’s ehame-
tutiaution of Sapir as one Whose rare fineness of perzmality and breadth
and depth of understanding shed luster upon the very title “anthro-
pologist.””

Dav G, Maypucp.us