Word Book. Text by Ludwig Wittgenstein, illustrated by Paul Chan, translated by Bettina Funcke, introduction by Désirée Weber

Paul Chan

Word Book. Text by Ludwig Wittgenstein, illustrated by Paul Chan, translated by Bettina Funcke, introduction by Désirée Weber

Brooklyn, NY

Badlands Unlimited

2020

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), an influential philosopher focused on language, compiled a dictionary in 1920 for elementary school children in response to a lack of inexpensive dictionaries. He wrote the dictionary when he was teaching in rural Austria. Word Book is the first English translation of his Wörterbuch fur Volksschulen (Dictionary for Elementary Schools). The book foretells Wittgenstein’s influence on how art, culture and language are understood. Artist Paul Chan, founder of Badlands Unlimited, illustrated this edition with his ink drawings.