UN CAZ PARTICULAR AL LIMBAJULUI RELIGIOS: LIMBAJUL ‘NUMINOS’ UTILIZAT DE RUDOLF OTTO
A PARTICULAR USE OF THE LANGUAGE OF RELIGION: RUDOLF OTTO’S LANGUAGE OF THE ‘NUMINOUS’

Summary/Abstract: The present article seeks to look closer at the language of religion and insight the language used, in particular, by Rudolf Otto in his hermeneutic writings. The research proceeds from the examination of varieties of religious language (liturgical, Biblical, the language of Biblical translations, the language of sermons, the language of theological discourse) as a preamble to the investigation which attempts to trace these varieties in the language used by Rudolf Otto in his complex writings. The study highlights the functional changes resulting from the differences concerning modality, medium and context of use. Due emphasis is given to the marked changes in the language of religion and its varieties caused by functional differences. The study traces down a few language varieties randomly taken from Otto’s writing (Das Numinose betreffend), which account for descriptions, explanations of concepts, interpretative texts, commentarial notes, instructions, conversations among mystics, silent worship lines, simple and complex forms of prayer. The range of language functions and varieties used by Otto testifies to the textual and linguistic complexity of his writings.

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