Synthesized answer
The provided passages are from the "Publisher Description" of "Herder: Philosophical Writings" and mention Johann Gottfried Herder's "Treatise on the Origin of Language (1772)" [1]. The title itself suggests the book explores the origins of language [1].
The passages also include a quote from Cicero, "Vocabula sunt notae rerum" which translates to "Words are signs of things" [1]. Additionally, the first part of Herder's treatise poses the question: "Were human beings, left to their natural abilities, able to invent language for themselves?" [1].
The passages do not provide a detailed explanation of the key concepts within the "Treatise on the Origin of Language" in my own words. They only offer the title, the year of publication, a philosophical question Herder posed, and a Latin quote related to language and its function.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
Title: Herder: Philosophical Writings by Johann Gottfried Herder Description: Publisher Description Categories: Philosophy Pages: 488 Snippet: Johann <b>Gottfried Herder</b> Michael N. Forster. <b>Treatise on the Origin of Language</b> ( <b>1772</b> ) Vocabula sunt notae rerum.1 Cicero First part : Were human beings , left to their natural abilities , able to invent language for themselves ? 2 ...