EIRP Proceedings, Vol 14, No 1 (2019)

Abstract

In this paper we aim at discussing the problem of freedom in culture, in general, and in language, in special, by resorting to Ortega y Gasset and Coseriu’s philosophical ideas. Both thinkers state that genuine freedom is opposed to barbarism or libertinism due to the fact that it is governed by a series of norms or rules freely consented by society/community. The same is valid, in broad terms, for language as well, only that, in this case, the norms (placed at different levels) present certain particularities.