Plato's theory of language: its emergence and relations to the platonic Forms

The present article attempts to answer a crucial question: why does Plato attach such importance to “language”? In many dialogues, such as Theaetetus and Sophist he surveys this subject; and in Cratylus language plays a pivotal role. Moreover the article deals with the inseparable connection between metaphysics and language in Plato’s philosophy. The main claim is that this connection is so firm and deep that Plato’s view on language can be seen as dependent on his view on the real entities, namely Forms. Plato criticizes the prevailing theories of his time like “conventionalism” and “naturalism” on the same ground. In other words, while analyzing these two clashing views, Plato shows that the nature of things cannot be discovered through studying their names.