The blog writer comes up with a very interesting point. The English language has developed so many synonyms for the word and term "war" and "fight" that it is almost scary. The article reports that the long list of synonoms that popped up when she typed in fight, says a lot about what has made human beings human. And in her last line, the author states, - but there are more words that pop up for love in our language than war. It is interesting that the author does not differentiate between the English language and other languages. For English the language and the experience itself is different to that many languages that a comparison needs to be developed in order to see whether belligerence is a thing naturally associated with us. In the example of the word snow, us - English speakers, only have one word for it, while some tribes who live in the snow possess more than 50 words for snow. It is not that the entire human race is belligerent, but the English culture as being belligerent. For when one thinks about it, it is the English conquered the world - bringing with them their language and customs.
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/10/language-as-hum.html
In this case, the author points to the fact the people who are trying to ban the use of Gaelic, do in fact possess Gaelic surnames. And thus, should stop using their last names. Well, I think this is a ridiculous claim by the author. I do not think that Gaelic should be prohibited from speach, but the reasons the writer gives are a bit ridiculous. There is no way those men could choose their last names. It is not they who picked it, but their parents. And last names will forever stay in a family, unless they do not have sons of their own.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/letters/article3056741.ece
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2 comments:
Really great post. I should point out that the notion that Eskimo languages have 50 words for snow is actually a myth:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_words_for_snow
Beyond that, you pose some really interesting questions regarding the interrelationships between the environment, attention, and language... do you think each of these factors can influence the other, or is it more of a one-way streak?
haha, thanks for the information. I had heard it so many times, that I thought that it must be fact.
I think language was made to describe what we do. For I do not believe you can name something you have not seen or experienced. And that is why, I believe first came culture, and then language. For all language really is, is a way of expressing what we do, and how we feel.
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