Diachronic Terms Research Articles

ЕТИМОЛОГИЯ И СЕМАНТИЧНА ТИПОЛОГИЯ: РЕГУЛЯРНОСТ НА СЕМАНТИЧНИЯ РАЗВОЙ ПРИ БЪЛГАРСКА ГЛАГОЛНА ЛЕКСИКА

The study is focused on the semantic aspect of etymological analysis. It is mainly oriented towards the etymological lexicographic practice in the “Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary” (BER) and focuses on revealing the typology of semantic changes within an etymological nest. A systematic approach is applied to the analysis of derivational processes within the Proto-Slavic ablaut sequence *per-/ *pьr-/ *pаr- and the regularity of the semantic shifts under study is demonstrated, and an attempt is also made to establish semantic features the basis of which the development takes place. The study is monolinguistic, based on Bulgarian linguistic material extracted from the BER, and is diachronically oriented, but in a number of cases a synchronic approach of analysis is also applied in order to bring out some typological features which can also be detected at the diachronic level. The establishment of semantic regularities and the demonstration of regularity in semantic development is a necessary support for the etymologization of a large volume and diverse lexical material. The results of the study can be the basis for various research works in the field of semantics, both in synchronic and diachronic terms.

Number fission from a formal and functional perspective

Abstract Modal verbs in German show phonologically unconditioned umlaut in the pres.pl versus pres.sg whose functional motivation is unclear. Based on a large sample of dialectological data, I explore the distribution of this umlaut as well as other irregularization strategies like contractions and/or consonant mutations in different paradigm cells. My observations point to the conclusion that these facets of irregularity are morphomic in that they serve no other function than signaling inflectional class coherence. A promising approach to capture these complex patterns of stem allomorphy is Information-based Morphology (IBM), an inferential-realizational approach to morphology developed in the context of Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG). The concept of a stem space allows for expressing implicational or directed generalizations in stem formation and their mapping to phonology. In diachronic terms, however, transcategorial number marking, as proposed in the relevant literature, is a plausible functional motivation for the analogical extension of umlaut as a verbal plural marker.

Historical and etymological aspect of the conceptual triad mercy-indifference-cruelty in English and Russian

The object of the study is the linguocultural triad mercy-indifference-cruelty in English and Russian. The subject of the study is nuclear lexemes that verbalize the linguistic and cultural concepts of mercy, indifference, cruelty in the compared languages. To reveal the essence of the concepts studied, etymological analysis of the lexemes-representatives, data from etymological dictionaries of English and Russian languages were used. The purpose of the study is to establish universal and idioethnic characteristics of the representatives of the conceptual triad mercy-indifference-cruelty in English and Russian. The following methods were used in the work carried out: semantic method, etymological method, comparative method, external reconstruction method. The scientific novelty of the work consists in the study of the linguistic and cultural concepts of mercy, indifference, cruelty in etymological perspective, which have not previously been studied in triadic relations when comparing English and Russian languages. As a result of the conducted research, we received information for the first time that nuclear lexemes verbalizing the concept of mercy in English and Russian at the initial stage of their functioning in the compared languages have similar motivation due to the presence of the first root of the Proto-Indo-European language. We have found evidence of a semantic shift in the perception of linguistic units representing the concept of indifference in English and Russian linguistic cultures in diachronic terms. A characteristic idioethnic feature of the representation of the concept of cruelty in the minds of native speakers of the Russian language is its ambiguity and dependence on casual attribution.

Ремифологизация в XX и XXI вв. и ее роль в осмыслении природы современного мифа (на материале новостных текстов англоязычных СМИ)

The paper studies the processes of remythologization in the 20th and the 21st century and their influence on the nature of modern myth as a cultural and linguistic phenomenon. The aim is to identify the features of the remythologization processes in the 20th and the 21st century, within which the transformation of the phenomenon of modern myth took place and is taking place. Remythologization affects the mythologization of public consciousness, the understanding of the phenomenon of myth, as well as the perception of the surrounding reality verbalized in the media through myths. The research is novel in that it is the first to consider the trends of the remythologization process during the specified periods in diachronic terms, to describe the influence of these processes on the functioning of myth in modern society and culture and to identify the distinctive features of remythologization in the 20th and the 21st century. The research findings indicate that modern myth, born of remythologization in the 20th century, is being reborn today and is undergoing rethinking regarding the modern process of remythologization, which confirms the emergence of new reinterpreted meanings of “old” myths. The paper provides the examples of mythologemes contained in the media that demonstrate the variable content of myth reinterpreted in the 21st century and performing the function of an interpreter of events for modern people. The work is based on English-language media texts.

За мисията на съвременния български езиковед

The article deals with the role of the contemporary Bulgarian linguist in the complex processes of codification of literary-linguistic norms. The text is linked to the 75th anniversary of the eminent Bulgarian linguist Prof. Vladko Murdarov. The object of the analytical observations in the text are problems related to the codification of literary-language norms, to the curricula and textbooks on Bulgarian language in secondary school; to the notion of language policy, as well as to the issues of the public image of the Bulgarian language in the media space. A brief overview is given of important historical processes that have shaped the development of the Bulgarian language and its science. The author summarizes the important features that every contemporary linguist should possess - depth of linguistic knowledge in synchronous and diachronic terms, a sense of the dynamics of linguistic processes in order to be able to objectively reflect the complex processes of language development, linking them to the complex and dynamic processes of social development.

Historical Memory of Derivational and Form-building Affixes of Dagestanian Languages

The article deals with the role of scientific etymology in restoring the origin of the word. The historical patterns, nature, and nature of the changes, development, and improvement of the language are analyzed. Attention is paid to the process of restoring historical memory as a powerful tool of knowledge. The article deals with the etymological semantics of the formants of the case system, the genesis of the ergative system, the historical memory of the class indicators of Avar language in correlation with the materials of other Dagestan languages. The paper examines the inner essence of language development in a comparative aspect. The importance of the concept of language development and the reconstruction of the forms of language units in both diachronic and synchronic terms is noted.

ПРЕЕМСТВЕННОСТЬ И ПРОТИВОСТОЯНИЕ ГУМАНИСТИЧЕСКИХ КОНЦЕПЦИЙ

The article discusses the problem of the transformation of the humanistic worldview as one of the key factors determining the nature of strategic decisions taken in various fields of practice. The author builds on the dual understanding of humanism – as a special worldview that emerged in the Renaissance, on the one hand, and as an umbrella term that brings together various systems of views, which for one reason or another assign a special – central – role and value to a person, on the other. The second understanding makes it possible to consider humanism in diachronic terms as a worldview evolving from one form to another, but from a diachronic perspective it opens up a picture of systems of views and concepts that are in opposition to each other. This thesis is elaborated through the example of the analysis of two discussions about humanism, one of which unfolded within the framework of the philosophy of existence, and the second is still ongoing around the project of human improvement. It is shown that in both cases the main conflict is in the opposition of the predetermined essence/nature of a human and their freedom. It is proved that, despite the justified criticism of the concepts of closed humanism, i.e. those that postulate the existence of a special nature, special qualities, and thus a special human mission, even postulating the fact of the absolute freedom as a starting point does not save certain philosophical interpretations of humanism from the prospect of becoming a totalitarian anthropological project. It is also proved that in the context of the development of biotechnology and artificial intelligence, both the rejection of an attempt to fix the essence of a human and recognizing that a human can be anyone is fraught with loss of identity of both individuals and socio-cultural communities. It is concluded that it is necessary to search for a different strategy of humanistic discourse (as a dispute of different humanistic concepts), preventing its transformation into a struggle of different wills to power, which is especially vividly manifested in the discussions between transhumanists and their opponents.

Analiza nazw stacji i przystanków kolejowych w południowo-wschodniej Polsce w ujęciu diachronicznym

The purpose of the article is to present the names of railway stations and stops, both old and non-existent, as well as those which are modern and functioning. A relevant part of the text is also the presentation of productive naming models for train stopping points. The research material was excerpted from the historical network train timetables, published until 2012, as well as from the online train timetable available on the PKP (Polish State Railways) website. These sources contain the names of stations and stops on selected railway lines in the following provinces: Lubelskie, Małopolskie, Podkarpackie and Świętokrzyskie. The methodology used is based on the classification of train stopping points, developed by Piotr Tomasik, as well as on additional division criteria, taking into account the structure of historical and non-existing names. The most frequently used nomination practice is the transfer of the name of the locality to the name of the train stopping point, as evidenced by such proper names as: Przemyśl, Rzeszów and Zagórze. However, the necessity to create a unique name of a railway stop or station often requires adding various elements that specify the location. In this way, names such as Chmielów koło Tarnobrzega, Kraków Płaszów, Rzeszów Osiedle or Tarnów Zachodni are created. The former names of train stopping points were also based on the transfer of the name of a part of a town, e.g. a housing estate, hamlet or district where a stop was located, e.g. Osiedle P.Z.L. w Rzeszowie or Ozet w Stalowej Woli. A separate naming category is the names of railway stations which were created as a result of foreign-language influences. The article is a contribution to further research on the nomenclature of railway stations and stops in diachronic terms on other railway lines in Poland.

Putting the Margins at the Centre: At the Edges of Protest in Morocco and Egypt

Almost ten years have passed since the uprisings of 2011 turned the social-political equilibrium of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region upside down. Despite successful counter-revolutionary policies, protests continue to challenge the status quo. The main difference with the 2011 is that current and ongoing political and social protests are less visible as they happen at the of society. This paper investigates the role of marginality and marginalisation in the cycle of protests and the dynamic of revolution and counter-revolution in the MENA region. The continuous eruption of social contestations in the rural and urban margins of North Africa forces us to reconsider previous academic analyses which understood the so-called Arab Spring as a predominantly urban youth movement, principally from a middle-class background. Protests at the margins not only constitute the hidden history of revolts of 2011, they also continue these revolts in a less visible, less concentrated, and less articulated manner. Putting the margins at the centre of analysis allows us to conceive of a cycle of protest not only in diachronic terms, as a temporal ebb and flow of contestation, but also a socio-spatial process of converging and refracting protests – from the margins to the centre and back again. We take a closer look at events in Egypt and Morocco. For the Egyptian case we investigate rural and urban protests against the new Law on Building Violations. Through the lens of marginalisation, we are able to reveal the contours of a socio-spatial hierarchy of protests, which has been shaping social movements in Egypt long before 2011. The second case deals with Morocco and presents a counter-story of the post-2011 democratic transition which has led, to everyone's surprise, to the uprising of the Hirak du Rif and Jerada. This counter-story traces the reconfiguration of power relations in society, thanks to mobilisations that took place often underground and at the margins.

CONCEPT OF YUGRA IN THE REGIONAL LINGUISTIC PICTURE OF THE WORLD

The article considers one of the onomastic concepts - “Ugra” - in the linguistic consciousness of the region's inhabitants. The conclusion is made that the conceptual areas “natural environment” and “local population” can be considered as invariable components of the concept of “Ugra” in diachronic terms (from the recollections of 19th century exiles to the linguistic picture of the world of modern residents of the region). Fundamental changes consist in the fact that the conceptual approach “practically unsuitable for life” is replaced by the end of the XX - the beginning of the XXI century with the vision of Ugra as a region rich in natural resources, actively developing thanks to the efforts of the authorities and the population.

A Poetics of Modernity: Indian Theatre Theory, 1850 to the Present ed. by Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker

Reviewed by: A Poetics of Modernity: Indian Theatre Theory, 1850 to the Present ed. by Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker Taarini Mookherjee A POETICS OF MODERNITY: INDIAN THEATRE THEORY, 1850 TO THE PRESENT. Edited by Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2018; pp. 632. A Poetics of Modernity: Indian Theatre Theory, 1850 to the Present undertakes a mammoth task: to provide a representative overview of the range of theoretical positions articulated by Indian theatre practitioners over the last two centuries. Comprising selections from ninety-three significant texts by seventy different authors written in ten modern Indian languages, this anthology marks the first attempt of its kind to put together a diverse array of texts that are both constitutive and representative of “Indian theatre as a modern, urban, secular institution” (xix). Through her detailed critical introduction and deliberate and meticulous collation of texts, Dharwadker makes the case for the relatively neglected field of Indian modern theatre theory as “an especially fertile site for descriptive and non-coercive constructions of Indianness” (xliii). A Poetics of Modernity thus posits a mutually transformative relationship between India and modernity as understood through the medium of theatre: the conditions of modernity are fundamental to contemporary constructions of Indianness, and the Indian context articulates a formation of modernity that is both intertwined with and distinct from Euro-modernity. In selecting, organizing, and editing the primary texts, Dharwadker employs a methodology that sets A Poetics of Modernity apart from existing approaches to Indian theatre in three ways. First, her anthology’s organizing principle is not limited to a single language or region; its parameters instead are the signifiers modern, urban, and secular. While Indian theatrical practice relies heavily upon translation and interregional conversations, academic criticism has remained relatively insular. This collection allows for a shift in that regard, opening up a space for comparisons and conversations across regional and linguistic boundaries. Second, A Poetics of Modernity sets itself apart from existing scholarly work on Indian theatre by including material primarily from those “who have practiced it with distinction”— a group of people ranging from playwrights, actors, and directors to dramaturgs, lighting designers, and translators (xliv). Unlike prior collections that consist primarily of academic criticism on modern [End Page 386] Indian theatre, A Poetics of Modernity foregrounds the contributions of theatre practitioners. Last, this collection is self-consciously not a descriptive and chronological history of Indian theatre; instead it highlights persistent, developing, and crucial strands in a tapestry of Indian theatre theory to demonstrate that this history is “a multilayered interplay of continuities and disjunctions” (xxxvii). For a scholar of Indian theatre, one of the most compelling elements of this collection is Dharwadker’s critical introduction, which lays out “a broad conceptual grid” for the dizzying array of primary texts that follow (xlvi). She organizes the dominant debates of modern Indian theatre, its principal attributes, and its contested identities into a series of overlapping “theoretical top[oi]” that have to varying degrees remained defining features of modern Indian theatre theory (xliv). For instance, the phenomenon of what Dharwadker terms “cultural recursiveness,” or the presence of the theatrical past in the present (xlvii), can be found in a range of theoretical positions in the anthology, from Michael Madhusudan Dutt’s nineteenth-century syncretic blend of Sanskrit sources with Shakespearean forms to Girish Karnad’s late twentieth-century meditations on the classical, folk, and colonial influences on contemporary Indian theatre (ibid.). This topos of cultural recursiveness allows for an exploration of the tension between tradition and modernity, past and present, in synchronic and diachronic terms. Dharwadker similarly distils other recurring debates into different theoretical topoi in the field. For instance, she parses the century-long questioning of the role and agency of authorship, along a spectrum from literary poet to popular entertainer, as a backdrop to the post-independence “instrumental condition of the literary-performative” playwright (lviii). She similarly delineates the diachronic and synchronic threads of another theoretical topos, one that grapples with the contested values of the key, and frequently contradictory, signifiers of modern Indian theatre: professional, amateur, and commercial. Dharwadker ends her introduction by signaling new movements and theoretical positions that have emerged to interrogate the establishment of modern...

Shades of black: Production technology of the black slip ware from Barikot, north-western Pakistan

The archaeometric analysis of a set of potsherds of black slip ware found at the site of Barikot (Swat Valley, north-western Pakistan), dated between the Indo-Greek and the Kushan phases (middle 2nd century BCE–middle 2nd century CE), was addressed to define the provenance of this pottery and to constrain the production technology of both the ceramic body and the black external slip in terms of raw materials used and firing conditions. A multidisciplinary approach, consisting in the petrographic, mineralogical, chemical and spectroscopic (Mössbauer) analyses, was used to define possible differences between sherds archaeologically classified as grey ware, northern black polished ware and black gloss ware. The composition of this ceramic class resulted quite homogeneous, indicating the use of similar clay materials (low-calcium and both potassium- and iron-rich) and preparation procedures, with one exception represented by the only black gloss ware analysed. When samples are considered in diachronic terms, a progressive change can be observed, mainly related to a progressive intensification of the clay levigation. The petrographic nature of medium and fine sand-sized inclusions indicates that the pottery was produced within the region and possibly in Barikot. As for its production technology, the mineralogical associations indicate that the firing temperature was in the thermal interval between 650 °C and 950 °C, while the presence of spinel-like minerals, maghemite and wustite suggests that the firing was in reducing conditions. Important differences were observed in terms of paste and slip preparation for the black gloss ware with respect to the grey ware and northern black polished ware, which were interpreted also under an archaeological viewpoint.

Suppletive Stem Distribution: A Diachronic Perspective

AbstractSuppletion is typically conceived of in diachronic terms as a discontinuous phenomenon, by which two or more originally distinct lexical items come to share slots in a single paradigm. However, it has long been known that regular sound change acting undisturbed over long periods of time can in fact give rise to what in synchronic terms must be considered suppletive stem relationships. It is proposed, on the basis of examples from ancient and modern Indo‐European languages, that instances of suppletion with a morphosyntactically unmotivated distribution are more likely to have arisen by the accretion of sound change than those which neatly contrast morphosyntactic categories such as singular vs. plural, which typically result from merger of two or more lexemes. Supporting this view is the phonological origin of several well‐known cases of morphomic alternations, which can serve as a gateway for the introduction of suppletive stems. However, this hypothesis is to be understood only as a general tendency, since the distribution of stems in phonological suppletion may be altered by irregular morphological developments.

Językowy obraz głosu w polszczyźnie — ujęcie diachroniczne

Selected aspects of the linguistic image of the voice in Polish: The diachronic approachThe aim of the article is to present a linguistic image of the voice in diachronic terms. In the analysis, the material in the Polish language that is considered comes from the dictionaries of the contemporary and historical Polish as well as the corpus of texts of various epochs. The article focuses only on the voice emission activity.The text also includes the methodological reflections resulting from the practice of the language historian.

Causative alternations in Siraiki

AbstractSiraiki is a major but understudied Indo‐Aryan language spoken mainly in central Pakistan. Its causative system, which has never been described in detail, shows many similarities with causative systems in related modern Indo‐Aryan languages, but also differences which render it unique within this family. We provide a detailed account of causativization in Siraiki, and attempt to explain the synchronic complexity of the Siraiki data, as well as the broader variation within modern Indo‐Aryan, in diachronic terms.

O książce w prasie polskiej. Diachronia i synchronia pola badawczego

Connections between the book and the press have been known to scientists for a long time. However not from the beginning different forms were used at the same stage, not always similar journalistic types were applied. The character, role, advantages and functions of the transfer of information connected with literature were dependent on many factors. Over the centuries, some forms (like review) were clearly transformed in substantive terms, but internal character of other forms (like editorial advertising) did not change so much, which was an effect of different factors. The aim of the paper will be an attempt to answer a question – is it possible to talk about the form of book promotion in the press in diachronic terms (can you distinguish distinct phases in each period of press development)? Perhaps this is mainly a synchronic phenomenon? Maybe we are dealing with some simultaneous order, something that is going on here and now, or maybe with the past and predictions of future states? In the first part of the paper, there were discussed the changing function and tasks of the press throughout history, in the second investigated the development of the review as a representative of the subject matter of the form of book information has been reviewed, published in newspapers and magazines.

“I Studied Crisis…”: the Phenomenon of the Unfinished as a Literary Trilogy

The subject of the review is a cycle of collective monographs written by Ural philologists where facets of creative periptosis are described in detail: The Phenomenon of Creative Failure (Yekaterinburg, 2011), The Phenomenon of the Unfinished (Yekaterinburg, 2014) and The Phenomenon of Creative Crisis (Yekaterinburg, 2017). All three volumes were published under the general editorship of T. A. Snigireva and A. V. Podchinenov. Throughout the series, a productive attempt was made to identify the causes of complex creative circumstances and to discuss some of the potential resolutions of these situations. By interposing a complex of problems in literary criticism, the authors remain within the boundaries of academic research. The coherence of analytical approaches, the selection of literary texts representing the work of recognised writers and continuity in the choice of literary material create a unity of reflection from volume to volume which allows one to read the monographs as a literary trilogy. When analysing creative failure, the non-completion of creative work and creative crisis, the research team addresses various aspects of these phenomena, interpreting them from the points of view of the author, the reader and the critic in both synchronic and diachronic terms. Considered from many angles, the same work can be simultaneously regarded as a creative miscalculation and a text containing elements of innovation. As can be seen from the materials presented in the trilogy, the entirety of the twentieth century was marked by signs of crisis: it is to these crises and its literary personalities that the three monographs are devoted.

On causativedarand its alternatives in the history of Spanish

AbstractThis paper studies the linguistic change whereby Spanishdarprevailed as the default verb to express causation when taking a state noun as its object, displacing alternatives such ashacer vergüenza‘to cause embarrassment’ orponer miedo‘to frighten’. In spite of the seeming regularity of thedar-plus-state-noun pattern, it is argued that this collocational pattern has an idiosyncratic character, since not all combinations of lexical units conveying an equivalent meaning are acceptable in present day Spanish, whilst some alternatives that are currently possible in related languages and were commonly found in previous stages of this language’s history (hacer miedolit. ‘to make fear’) are no longer available. The study tries to show that the idiosyncratic character of these combinations in present-day Spanish can be explained in diachronic terms and that they are the result of two frequency effects that have been observed in other instances of linguistic change: on the one hand, the prevalence as productive patterns of linguistic structures with a high type frequency and, on the other, the resilience of structures with a high token frequency.

Vanaheebrea luule poeetika, juhatuseks / Ancient Hebrew Poetry: An Introduction to Its Poetology

Teesid: Põhiliselt 8.–3. sajandil e.m.a tekkinud vanaheebrea luules on põhiühikuks bikoolon ehk kahest koolonist koosnev värss (esineb ka trikooloneid, mis on aga mõnikord bikooloni sekundaarsed laiendused). Enamik värsse kasutab mõtteriimi, mida saab seletada aspektiivse mõtlemisega. Ülejäänud värsid on täiendavat laadi. Värssidest moodustatakse alastroofe, stroofe ja terveid poeeme, mida aitavad kujundada abielemendid, nagu ulatuslikud kõlamängud, võtmesõnad, anakruus, ellips, kiasm, inklusioon jms. Lähemalt vaadeldakse nii sünkroonselt kui diakroonselt Jesaja raamatu ühte tervikpoeemi (24,6–13). SUMMARYThis poetological paper aims to introduce the reader to ancient Hebrew poetry in Estonian. In preparation for reading Old Testament poetry, one should first be acquainted with the principles and most popular poetic figures of ancient Hebrew literature composed mainly from the eighth to third centuries BCE. This paper uses a hierarchical method of instruction, beginning with basic elements, such as half-lines or lines of verse (denoted here as cola and bicola respectively, and not excluding tricola), and then moving to larger units, such as a sub-strophes, strophes (stanzas), and lastly an entire poem.A bicolon can be considered the basic unit of ancient Hebrew poetry, and it is genuinely parallelistic. Parallelism is introduced to readers via an aspective way of thinking (cf. Emma Brunner-Traut). The author analyses two verse types, widely known as synonymous and antithetic verses as synonymous verses, since in some verses, using a pair of antonyms does not give sufficient reason to say that the verse is itself antithetic. The phenomenon of tricola is regarded in diachronic terms: many occurrences of tricola in the Hebrew Bible result from the addition of a secondary colon to the original bicolon sometime during the later centuries (so already Sigmund Mowinckel). Genuine tricola exist as well but are found mostly within certain genres, such as hymns. Verses that do not categorise as synonymous parallelism can be classified as extrapolative verses that are either synthetic (with the second colon reasoning the first or adding a completely new perspective) or instances of enjambment.Additional elements, such as sound figures, assist in the composition of smaller or larger poetical units, including alliteration and assonance, occasional end-rhyme or anacrusis marking the beginning of a poetical unit, ellipsis, chiasmus, inclusio, etc. The reader should especially take note of keywords that characterise a verse, a strophe, or a poem.Using all of the above-listed poetic elements and figures, the author analyses the poem Isaiah 24:6–13, which belongs to the Apocalypse of Isaiah in chapters 24–27 and can be parsed into two literary layers written by different scribal hands (bicola in vv. 6–7, 9–10, 12–13 and tricola in vv. 8 and 11). In its present form, the poem consists of four strophes (6, 7–9, 10–12, 13), but evidence suggests that it originally consisted only of two strophes, which were then divided into two sub-strophes of two bicola (6–7+9 and 10+12–13). This paper illustrates the extensive sound play, the complex network of keywords, and the patterns of anacrusis found within the poem. The synonymous verse type dominates, even in tricola, but within the poetic framework, extrapolative bicola prevail.

The Need for Quinean Pragmatism in the Theory of History

I present the history of philosophy, and history more generally, as a context of ideas, with respect to which philosophers and historians share concerns about the meaning of the texts they both use, and where for some there is a principled contrast between seeing meaning in quasi-mathematical terms (“a philosophical stance”) or in terms of context (“a historical stance”). I introduce this imagined (but not imaginary) world of ideas as temporally extended. Returning to my early research into the epistemic problems of historiography, I present my view that foundational was meaningful language in a shared world, and I display some difficulties found in handling the “wholeness” of historical accounts. I came to realise that it was epistemic opposition between historical accounts that mattered. I concluded that analytical philosophy was wrong to assume that individual sentences were free-standing meaningful units that could be juxtaposed with others at whim, and that an understanding of the rational grounds for determining relevance was needed. In order to make sense of this I used Quine’s conception of the “web of belief,” and noted that a historical account could be treated as a “unit of empirical significance” in his terms. I observe that, although the epistemic problems of history arose for me before I considered his pragmatic position, nevertheless attention to those problems required me to adopt the Quine-based form of pragmatism I describe. I came to realise that I had wrongly adopted a synchronic view of the Quinean web, thereby adopting a “philosophical stance.” Rather, the web should be conceived in diachronic terms as a rolling web, so forming history itself. It is wrong to think that language started in atomistic terms so that, following Aristotle, it first consisted of simple concepts forming sentences of brief and narrow subject-predicate form. Instead, early communications took the form of oral traditions usually in narrative form. Meaningful wholes such as historical accounts are conceptually prior to atomistic sentences and need to be seen in extended temporal terms, so that an Aristotelian subject-predicate metaphysics is implausible. Quine’s pragmatism framed and facilitated my historical stance despite the unashamed philosophical stance that he adopted.