In the research being done in culturally oriented linguistics and in linguistic historiography geared to the evolution of mentality and discourse, Fritz Hermanns can certainly claim to be one of the most productive and creative minds in present-day German studies. Not only has he enriched the terminological repertory employed in such research by coining terms like Fahnenwort (>flag-word<, a term referring to an emotionally charged >rallying< word with positive political connotations) and deontic meaning. In his work he has also provided graphic justification for the consideration of emotional components in the meaning of words and for regarding words as >vehicles of thought<. This volume is a tribute to his achievements on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Taking its bearings from the approaches and analyses he has proposed, it divides into three sections: culturally oriented linguistics (theory and research programs), language history (17th-20th century), and present-day German.