Is ordinary language natural? (A note about the translation of "Ordinary language philosophy")

Abstract

The problem of the translation of the expressions "ordinary language" and "ordinary language philosophy" is not only a question of language (how to translate it?), but also a question of philosophy (why was it called that way?). Therefore any translation must consider also philosophical reasons.

Since Cmorej did not take these reasons into account, his translation fails to catch the meaning of the expressions. This essay offers few arguments about how we should understand the name of the philosophy and how we should translate it.

The arguments are based on few examples of how Wittgenstein and Austin used it.

Keywords

• ordinary language philosophy
• Wittgenstein
• Austin
• ordinary use
• everyday use