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Full Idea
When translating one language into another, we do not proceed by translating each proposition of the one into a proposition of the other, but merely by translating the constituents of propositions.
Gist of Idea
We translate by means of proposition constituents, not by whole propositions
Source
Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus [1921], 4.025)
Book Ref
Wittgenstein,Ludwig: 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Pears)', ed/tr. Pears,D. /McGuinness,B. [RKP 1961], p.21
A Reaction
This seems opposed to Quine's later holistic view of translating whole languages. Is he objecting to Frege's context principle?
Related Ideas
Idea 7732 Never ask for the meaning of a word in isolation, but only in the context of a proposition [Frege]
Idea 6312 We can never precisely pin down how to translate the native word 'Gavagai' [Quine]
| 18285 | All translation loses some content (but language does not create reality) [Carnap] |
| 23489 | We translate by means of proposition constituents, not by whole propositions [Wittgenstein] |
| 19045 | Translation is too flimsy a notion to support theories of cultural incommensurability [Quine] |
| 12591 | Mastery of a language requires thinking, and not just communication [Harman] |
| 4706 | Early Quine says all beliefs could be otherwise, but later he said we would assume mistranslation [O'Grady] |
| 17991 | Holism says language can't be translated; the expressibility hypothesis says everything can [Hofweber] |