Mentality

The term mentality has its origin in Latin (mens „concerning the mind“). According to the Duden dictionary, in everyday language it refers to a „way of thinking and feeling“ or the „special way of thinking and feeling“ of individuals, social groups or even entire peoples. The special, which deviates from one’s own ’norms‘ and ideas, is called mentality.

Specialized scholarship expanded these dimensions of meaning: „A mentality in the sense of the history of mentality is […] the totality of habits or dispositions of thinking and feeling and willing or wanting in social groups“ (Hermanns 1995, 77).

Historical mentality

Historian Peter Dinzelbacher emphasizes the reciprocal nature of the elements as well as the temporal dimensions. „Historical mentality is the ensemble of ways and contents of thinking and feeling that is formative for a particular collective in a particular time. Mentality manifests itself in actions,“ Dinzelbacher explains (Dinzelbacher 1993, 21). However, the collective contents of thought are not complex theories or systems of thought, but rather „the basic beliefs generally held in a culture“ (ibid., 23).

Perspectives of linguistics

Linguistic perspectives emphasize linguistic facets of conceptualization: „Mentalities encompass the totality of human social, cultural, and medial, and thus linguistic, action and are, as it were, the basis of this action, which becomes visible and reconstructible through language“ (Kreuz/ Mroczynski 2016, 2 f.). Nevertheless, it is „first and foremost a search term […], which as such has the function that it appeals to us to explore and describe mentalities that are for the time being completely unknown historically or sociologically“ (Hermanns 2012, 9). It also acts as „a necessary concept for scientifically describing and explaining interpersonal and intergroup specificities“ (Werlen 1998, 76).

Mentalities and social classes

Sociologist Theodor Geiger refers to mentality as a „subjective ideology.“ Depending on the stratum to which people belong and the living conditions associated with it, a specific mentality is typically developed. „A thousand details of everyday life form in the ensemble the type of life-ductus and this is the expression of mentality,“ describes Geiger (Geiger 1987, 80).

It is difficult to describe the German mentality in a few words because there are many different regions and cultural differences within Germany. However, there are some general characteristics that are often associated with the German mentality:

punctuality and reliability: Germans are known for being punctual and reliable. Appointments and dates are usually kept exactly.
order and efficiency: Germans often have a preference for order and structure and try to complete their tasks in an efficient manner.
thoroughness and care: Germans often attach great importance to thoroughness and care in their work and in everyday tasks.
directness and honesty: Germans can sometimes be perceived as direct or even rude, as they often speak their mind openly and honestly.
Respect for rules and laws: Germans often have a high respect for rules and laws and usually abide by them.
thrift and economy: Germans often have a strong sense of thrift and economy.

Of course, these are only general characteristics and there are certainly many individual differences within the German population.

Literature

Dinzelbacher, Peter (1993): On the theory and practice of the history of mentality. In: ders. (Ed.): Europäische Mentalitätsgeschichte. Main topics in individual presentations. Stuttgart.

Hermanns, Fritz (1995): Sprachgeschichte als Mentalitätsgeschichte. Reflections on meaning and form and the object of historical semantics. In: Gardt, Andreas/ Mattheier, Klaus/ Reichmann, Oskar (eds.): Sprachgeschichte des Neuhochdeutschen. Objects, methods, theories. Tübingen, 69-101.

Hermanns, Fritz (2012): Sprachgeschichte und Mentalitätsgeschichte. Reflections on meaning and form and the object of historical semantics. In: Kämper, Heitren/ Linke, Angelika/ Wengeler, Martin (eds.): Der Sitz der Sprache im Leben: Contributions to a cultural analytic linguistics. Berlin/ Boston: de Gruyter, 5-36.

Geiger, Theodor (1987): The social stratification of the German people: sociographic experiment on a statistical basis. Stuttgart: Enke.

Kreuz, Christian/ Mroczynski, Robert (2016): Language, culture, mentality: linguistic and cultural studies contributions to the analysis of mentalities. Berlin/ Münster: LIT.

Werlen, Erika (1998): Language, communication culture and mentality. On socio- and contact linguistic theorizing and methodology. Tübingen: Niemeyer.