Vom Erzählen

What distinguishes humans from animals? For a long time, the obvious answer to this question was: language. However, the more closely zoologists observe, the clearer it becomes that animals also emit and understand linguistic signals. The difference lies in the human approach to language—not only its written form but also its reach: it creates the possibility to transcend the boundaries of space and time and even reality; it opens up history and brings forth stories. To put it succinctly, the sought-after difference lies in storytelling. This applies not only to literary storytelling and the scientific narratives celebrated as such but also to the permeation of everyday communication with stories. Hermann Bausinger's book turns to this colorful world of storytelling. It initially focuses on the personal stories that people use to orient themselves within their social environment, as well as to work on their self-image. In a second part, the book looks at available narrative forms, some of which have a long tradition. Fairy tales occupy a central place here, but legends, moral stories, and the diversity of jokes also belong in this context. The concluding third part of the book addresses the problem of linguistic conditions and shows how the reality of language creates possibilities for storytelling, but also imposes limitations.