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-wordrallyingdeontic 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