The Word Itself

Jackson, JB. “The Word Itself” in J.B. Jackson (ed.) Discovering the Vernacular Landscape; New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984, pp. 1-8

Through this article Jackson proposed a new definition and meaning of landscape. He argued that the given meaning to the word is also gradually changed by centuries. The word itself has the original meaning that could be very different from the given meaning.

The meaning of landscape is firstly known in paintings and painters world. It was a picture of a view, then the view itself. In the practice of 18th century, landscape gardener produces a stylized ‘picturesque’ landscape. Although it is three dimensions they were still pictures. This is continued in 19th century that the gardens were designed in ‘painterly’ terms, using the familiar basic principles of unity, repetition, sequence and balance, of harmony and contrast. In last half century, knowledge of ecology and conservation and environmental psychology are part of the landscape architect’s professional background, and protecting and ‘managing’ the natural environment are seen as more important than the designing of picturesque parks.

Jackson went into the basic meaning of the word landscape after he showed the given meaning of landscape. He put the word into two syllables: scape and land. People use the word scape as if it meant space (like townscape, roadscape, and cityscape). He pointed that we always need a word or a phrase to indicate a kind of environment or setting which can give vividness to a thought or event a relationship, a background placing it in the world. In this sense landscape serves the same useful purpose as do the words climate or atmosphere (page 4 paragraph 3).

The word in all modern European language (Old English version landskipe, landscaef, German landschaft, Dutch landscap) was used not in the English sense (see page 5 par. 3). Jackson also showed the meaning or related meaning from Latin languages. I think he explored this linguistic aspect also to show that anyhow we need a new meaning and definition because the word itself is subjective and the practice of centuries also showed that it has different meaning and scale. He wrote that at all events it is clear that a thousand years ago the word had nothing to do with scenery or the depiction of scenery.

Jackson wrote that Landscape is a space on the surface of the earth; intuitively we know that it is a space with a degree of permanence, with its own distinct character, either topographical or cultural, and above all a space shared by a group of people. The formula of landscape as a composition of man-made spaces on the land is more significant. In the contemporary world, we will eventually formulate a new definition of landscape: a composition of man-made or man-modified spaces to serve as infrastructure or background for our collective existence; and if background seems inappropriately modest we should remember that in our modern use of the word it means that which underscores not only our identity and presence, but also our history. (ami)