5595. Besides this it should be known that there is spiritual speech in very many words of earthly human language, chiefly those that have to do with sensation: such as when talking about understanding one speaks of seeing; when about perceiving one speaks of smelling; likewise about tasting, although in a less sophisticated sense; to hear is to obey, and so on. The spiritual element in these is from the spiritual world in the words of human speech. There are many such words, and people do not know that they are from the spiritual world because they do not know what the spiritual is and what correspondences are. The speech of the most ancients was like this and was a speech of words very full of things like this. In the first stage it was spiritual and afterwards more and more natural, finally sensual such as it is at the present day. That the most ancient speech was composed of mental images and affections, see what is said about this in various places. 1
Footnotes:
1. Especially in Arcana Coelestia.
5595. It must be known, moreover, that spiritual speech is in many expressions of human speech, principally those which belong to sensation, as, for example, when seeing is spoken about understanding; about perceiving, smelling is said; about tasting, in like manner, but in a grosser sense; that to hear is to obey, and so on. There is a spiritual therein, from the spiritual world. In the words of human speech are many such [cases]; and man is unaware that they are from the spiritual world, because he does not know what the spiritual is, nor what correspondence. The speech of the most ancient people was of such a character. At that time, the speech of words was exceedingly full of such [instances]: at first, [it was] spiritual, afterwards more and more natural, and at length sensual, such as it is at this day. That there was a most ancient speech of ideas and affections, see what [is said] about it in various places.
5595. Praeterea sciendum est, quod loquela spiritualis in vocibus loquelae humanae pluribus sit, praecipue quae sensationis, sicut cum de intelligere dicatur videre, de percipere dicatur odorari, de gustare similiter sed in crassiori sensu, audire quod sit obtemperare, et sic porro, est spirituale inibi ex spirituali mundo in vocibus loquelae humanae; talia sunt plura, et homo nescit quod ex spirituali mundo sint, quia non scit quid spirituale et quid correspondentia: antiquissimorum loquela talis fuerat, tum loquela vocum, plenissima talibus, primitus spiritualis et postea magis et magis naturalis, tandem sensualis qualis est hodie; loquela antiquissima quod idearum et affectionum fuerit, videatur quod de illa variis in locis. 1
Footnotes:
1. h.e. Cumprimis in Arcanis Coelestibus