On Sapir's notion of form/pattern and its aesthetic background

On Sapir’s view, units of cultural behaviour (such as linguistic units) can only be
identified through the relations they maintain to other elements of the same kind.
This set of interrelations is what Sapir calls a “pattern”, or refers to simply as “form”.
The chapter begins by examining Sapir’s notion of pattern in his analysis of phono-
logical systems. It is shown that, to a certain extent, Sapir conflated the notion of
pattern with that of Gestalt, yet his own conception was idiosyncratic insofar as
it placed much emphasis on the purely formal potency of patterns, understood as
aesthetic configurations existing for form’s sake and independent from functional
motivations.

The second part of the chapter is devoted to Sapir’s description of how patterns are formed and grasped. Complex interrelations are not laid bare in ordinary conscious thinking; they can only be accessed through an intuition that Sapir characterizes
as a “form-feeling”. Form-feeling, as Sapir himself tells us, takes its origin from art
theory. It is argued that the source of this notion is to be found in German-speaking
art theory, specifically the notion of Formgefühl. In the course of the discussion, the
hypothesis is set forth that Sapir’s “form drive”, which underlies the elaboration of
patterns for form’s sake, might also have its source in German thought, notably in
Humboldt and Schiller.