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while in the use of the letter alpha to express size； or of eta to express
length； the imitation is symbolical。 The use of analogous or similar
sounds； in order to express similar analogous ideas； seems to have escaped
him。
In passing from the gesture of the body to the movement of the tongue；
Plato makes a great step in the physiology of language。 He was probably
the first who said that 'language is imitative sound；' which is the
greatest and deepest truth of philology； although he is not aware of the
laws of euphony and association by which imitation must be regulated。 He
was probably also the first who made a distinction between simple and
compound words； a truth second only in importance to that which has just
been mentioned。 His great insight in one direction curiously contrasts
with his blindness in another； for he appears to be wholly unaware （compare
his derivation of agathos from agastos and thoos） of the difference between
the root and termination。 But we must recollect that he was necessarily
more ignorant than any schoolboy of Greek grammar； and had no table of the
inflexions of verbs and nouns before his eyes； which might have suggested
to him the distinction。
（4） Plato distinctly affirms that language is not truth； or 'philosophie
une langue bien faite。' At first； Socrates has delighted himself with
discovering the flux of Heracleitus in language。 But he is covertly
satirising the pretence of that or any other age to find philosophy in
words； and he afterwards corrects any erroneous inference which might be
gathered from his experiment。 For he finds as many； or almost as many；
words expressive of rest； as he had previously found expressive of motion。
And even if this had been otherwise； who would learn of words when he might
learn of things？ There is a great controversy and high argument between
Heracleiteans and Eleatics； but no man of sense would commit his soul in
such enquiries to the imposers of names。。。In this and other passages Plato
shows that he is as completely emancipated from the influence of 'Idols of
the tribe' as Bacon himself。
The lesson which may be gathered from words is not metaphysical or moral；
but historical。 They teach us the affinity of races； they tell us
something about the association of ideas； they occasionally preserve the
memory of a disused custom； but we cannot safely argue from them about
right and wrong； matter and mind； freedom and necessity； or the other
problems of moral and metaphysical philosophy。 For the use of words on
such subjects may often be metaphorical； accidental； derived from other
languages； and may have no relation to the contemporary state of thought
and feeling。 Nor in any case is the invention of them the result of
philosophical reflection； they have been commonly transferred from matter
to mind； and their meaning is the very reverse of their etymology。 Because
there is or is not a name for a thing； we cannot argue that the thing has
or has not an actual existence； or that the antitheses； parallels；
conjugates； correlatives of language have anything corresponding to them in
nature。 There are too many words as well as too few； and they generalize
the objects or ideas which they represent。 The greatest lesson which the
philosophical analysis of language teaches us is； that we should be above
language； making words our servants； and not allowing them to be our
masters。
Plato does not add the further observation； that the etymological meaning
of words is in process of being lost。 If at first framed on a principle of
intelligibility； they would gradually cease to be intelligible； like those
of a foreign language； he is willing to admit that they are subject to many
changes； and put on many disguises。 He acknowledges that the 'poor
creature' imitation is supplemented by another 'poor creature；'
convention。 But he does not see that 'habit and repute；' and their
relation to other words； are always exercising an influence over them。
Words appear to be isolated； but they are really the parts of an organism
which is always being reproduced。 They are refined by civilization；
harmonized by poetry； emphasized by literature； technically applied in
philosophy and art； they are used as symbols on the border…ground of human
knowledge； they receive a fresh impress from individual genius； and come
with a new force and association to every lively…minded person。 They are
fixed by the simultaneous utterance of millions； and yet are always
imperceptibly changing；not the inventors of language； but writing and
speaking； and particularly great writers； or works which pass into the
hearts of nations； Homer； Shakespear； Dante； the German or English Bible；
Kant and Hegel； are the makers of them in later ages。 They carry with them
the faded recollection of their own past history； the use of a word in a
striking and familiar passage gives a complexion to its use everywhere
else； and the new use of an old and familiar phrase has also a peculiar
power over us。 But these and other subtleties of language escaped the
observation of Plato。 He is not aware that the languages of the world are
organic structures； and that every word in them is related to every other；
nor does he conceive of language as the joint work of the speaker and the
hearer； requiring in man a faculty not only of expressing his thoughts but
of understanding those of others。
On the other hand； he cannot be justly charged with a desire to frame
language on artificial principles。 Philosophers have sometimes dreamed of
a technical or scientific language； in words which should have fixed
meanings； and stand in the same relation to one another as the substances
which they denote。 But there is no more trace of this in Plato than there
is of a language corresponding to the ideas； nor； indeed； could the want of
such a language be felt until the sciences were far more developed。 Those
who would extend the use of technical phraseology beyond the limits of
science or of custom； seem to forget that freedom and suggestiveness and
the play of association are essential characteristics of language。 The
great master has shown how he regarded pedantic distinctions of words or
attempts to confine their meaning in the satire on Prodicus in the
Protagoras。
（5） In addition to these anticipations of the general principles of
philology； we may note also a few curious observations on words and sounds。
'The Eretrians say sklerotes for skleroter；' 'the Thessalians call Apollo
Amlos；' 'The Phrygians have the words pur； udor； kunes slightly changed；'
'there is an old Homeric word emesato； meaning 〃he contrived〃；' 'our
forefathers； and especially the women； who are most conservative of the
ancient language； loved the letters iota and delta； but now iota is changed
into eta and epsilon； and delta into zeta； this is supposed to increase the
grandeur of the sound。' Plato was very willing to use inductive arguments；