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Harald Weinrich

ハラルト・ヴァインリッヒ

Harald Weinrich

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1927-09-24 （Wismar, Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany）
Died
2022-02-26 （Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany） age 94
Nationality
German
Languages
German, French
Residence History
Wismar (birthplace) → Münster (work, place of death) → Bielefeld (University of Bielefeld, chair) → Munich (University of Munich / LMU, chair) → Paris (Collège de France, emeritus professor)

Career

Occupations
scholar, classical scholar, Romance philologist, philosopher, professor, author
Active Years
1956-2022
Affiliations
University of Münster, University of Bielefeld, University of Munich (Ludwig Maximilian University), Collège de France

Education

University of Münster
Romance philology
Degree: 博士
Country: Germany
University of Münster
Romance philology (Habilitation)
Degree: Habilitation
Country: Germany

Awards

Konrad-Duden-Preis
1985
Result: 受賞
Karl Vossler Prize
1992
Result: 受賞
Ordre des Palmes académiques
1994
Organization: French government (Ordre des Palmes académiques)
Result: 受賞
Hansischer Goethe-Preis
1997
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Das Ingenium Don Quijotes

1956 scholarship (literary studies)

An early scholarly work containing literary and comparative reflections on Don Quixote.

literary analysiscomparative literature

Phonological Studies on Romance Language History

1958 linguistics (phonology)

A study collecting phonological research on the history of the Romance languages.

phonologyhistorical linguistics

Tempus: The Spoken and Narrated World

1964 linguistics / narrative studies

Develops linguistic considerations on tense and time, exploring relationships between spoken language and narration.

tensenarrationlanguage use

Text Grammar of the French Language

1982 linguistics (grammar)

A systematic scholarly work on text grammar of the French language.

grammartext analysis

Ways of Language Culture

1985 cultural studies / linguistics

A collection of essays discussing the role and development of language culture.

language cultureeducation

Lethe

1997 essay / philosophy

An exploration of forgetting and memory, philosophically examining the significance of forgetting for individuals and societies.

memoryforgettingcultural critique
Translations
  • English translation: Lethe: The Art and Critique of Forgetting (2004), translated by Steven Rendall

Knappe Zeit: On Borrowed Time

2004 essay / cultural studies

An essay on the finitude of time and the aesthetics and economy of living with deadlines.

timemodern societywork ethic
Translations
  • English translation: On Borrowed Time: The Art and Economy of Living with Deadlines (2004), translated by Steven Rendall

The Linguistics of Lying and Other Essays

2005 essay / linguistics

A collection of essays in English about lying, communication, and speech acts.

lyingcommunicationphilosophy of language

On Having: 33 Views

2012 essay / cultural studies

A collection of 33 perspectives criticizing contemporary societal values around possession.

possessioneconomyethics

Bibliography

  • Das Ingenium Don Quijotes (1956)
  • Phonological Studies on Romance Language History (1958)
  • Tempus: The Spoken and Narrated World (1964)
  • Literatur für Leser (1971)
  • Text Grammar of the French Language (1982)
  • Ways of Language Culture (1985)
  • Text Grammar of the German Language (1993)
  • Lethe (1997)
  • A Short Literary History of Cheerfulness (2001)
  • Knappe Zeit: On Borrowed Time (2004)
  • The Linguistics of Lying and Other Essays (2005)
  • Quante lingue per l'Europa? (2006)
  • How Civilized Is the Devil? Short Visits to Good and Evil (2007)
  • On the Life and Reading of Animals: A Bestiary (2008)
  • On Having: 33 Views (2012)

Translations of Works

  • Lethe → English: Lethe: The Art and Critique of Forgetting (2004), translated by Steven Rendall
  • Knappe Zeit → English: On Borrowed Time: The Art and Economy of Living with Deadlines (2004), translated by Steven Rendall
  • The Linguistics of Lying and Other Essays → English edition (2005)
  • Quante lingue per l'Europa? → Italian edition (2006)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
clear, interdisciplinary prosephilosophical and reflective argumentationscholarly yet accessible to a general readership
Recurring Motifs
language and culturememory and forgettingtime and finitudecivilization and ethics

Legacy

Harald Weinrich was a linguist and thinker known for his wide-ranging writings rooted in Romance and classical scholarship and for establishing German as a Foreign Language (DaF) as an academic field. He is recognized for his teaching at Bielefeld and Munich, his chair at the Collège de France, and his role in founding the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize for German literature by non-native speakers.

Archives

  • German National Library - catalogue (Harald Weinrich)
  • Page at the Collège de France (archived)

Trivia

  • Known for wide-ranging writings based in Romance philology and classical scholarship.
  • Held a founding chair at the University of Bielefeld and helped establish DaF (German as a Foreign Language) academically.
  • Involved in founding the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize.
  • Held the chair of Romance literature at the Collège de France from 1992 to 1998.
  • Many of his works have been translated into various European languages.