Representation is one of the basic concepts of Freudian theory. In Freud's monograph "On the conception of the aphasias", it is the object of extensive investigation. Here Freud reviews critically the main hypotheses about aphasias that prevailed at his time, particularly those proposed by the German neurologist Carl Wernicke. Based on this, he offers an alternative conception of the normal functioning and of the pathology of language. As Wernicke's theory was based on a specific conception of representation, this was also critically analyzed by Freud. The aim of this paper is to discuss some of the hypotheses proposed in "On the conception of the aphasias", and to point out their consequences for the concept of representation and for the sense it acquires in meta-psychological reflection.
psychoanalysis; Freud; meta-psychology; aphasias; representation