Next time you read an article about indigenous people, pay attention to the language used to describe indigenous cultures. I am not merely talking about articles that refer to indigenous cultures as being Palaeolithic or as being Stone Age cultures (yes, two words denoting the same thing, the…
THIS. ALL OF THIS.
Words with way too many uses like “doch” in German, “passer” in French, and “to get” in English.
Words that just don’t have simple, accurate translations like “saudade”, “cafuné” and “macumba” in Portuguese, “imbroglio” in Italian, “Zeitgeist”, “Wanderlust” and “Schadenfreude” in German, “Hygge” in Danish, “zalatwic” in Polish, “Тоска” in Russian, and many, many more.
Reblog this with more examples, as even though these are a great source of stress, they’re also incredibly interesting!
This is exactly why I suggest people undertaking some form of language study as Gaelic Polytheists. Language is the door into which we enter a completely different mindset. Language carries with it the worldview of an entire culture.
(via the-elf-on-baker-street)
