What's In A Language?

A few days ago, I came across a short video narrated by comedian Tudor Owen. He was explaining the choices of keeping the Welsh name of a lake, or giving said lake an English name. He said Lake Australia had been suggested. Apparently an island on the lake is shaped like the continent. The reason for the change? The Welsh name is difficult to pronounce by folks not familiar with the Welsh language. That got me to thinking.

 

Just for a minute or two, let's go back in time to the days of one of Noah's (yes, THAT Noah) grandsons. Nimrod was considered to be a great hunter and leader. His goal was to keep the people close together, in direct violation of a previous mandate given to humans. As a result, his attempt to build a great tower was thwarted by the sudden introduction of many languages, and the people scattered to the ends of the earth.

 

From that day on, new cultures were established, with their customs and language. Over hundreds of years, changes came about, dialects appeared while some languages died off to be replaced by others. English has become the most prominent. Today, we get a sense of  history through the various communications, through food and art, architecture, as well as the spoken language.

 

In the mid 1940's, around the end of WWII, many Scottish parents refused to teach the younger generation their native language of Gaelic. The reason? They wanted their children to fit into British culture. Today, a group of Scots are doing everything they can to bring back the language. It's an important part of their heritage.

 

So what does all this have to do with Tudor Owen and his take on changing that lake's name? He gave a brief telling of the lake's Welsh name and the myth behind it. (The Welsh name means "grayhead".) Granted, the Welsh name is unpronounceable by English standards, (and the spelling is absolutely mind boggling) think of all that would be lost if that name were dropped in favor of "Australia" --no offense to our friends from down under. Once you start making little changes like that, you begin to chip away at the core of a culture. One chip at a time, one after another until you create irreparable damage to a way of living.

 

To my way of thinking, why not compromise?  Have a phonetic spelling below the name. Give visitors the opportunity to "taste" a language and the stories behind the words. Granted, it can't be done with all things, but it could go a long way in piquing a tourist's curiosity. Like water constantly dripping on a stone, frequent chipping away at our many cultures because someone doesn't understand something can seriously ruin our diversity.

 

Is compromise the answer or do we let it all fade to nothing? Something to think about.

 

 (The story of Nimrod can be found in the Bible book of Genesis 11:1-9)

Thinking About...

I apologize for having been away so long. The last few months have been inundated with things that couldn't be put off. There was also the recent loss of my youngest sister. She was a great punster and her quirky sense of humor will be missed.

 

Some time ago, I made a "promise" to someone very dear to me. I would make a quilt for a wedding gift. Since that time life has intruded far too many times and that project had to be put on hold. Now, four and a half years later, the project is progressing very nicely. I will try to post a picture of it when it's done. (after I figure out how to take said pic and get it on my laptop. What can I say? I'm still, and probably will always be, a computer dummy.)

 

With all the changes that have been going on, I've found myself to be sadly lacking in ambition for the things that have meant most to me. There are so many craft projects I want to try but I'm sure you know how that goes. If you get overwhelmed with ideas and plans you end up doing nothing.

 

 Thank goodness one thing that fell by the wayside, so to speak, has finally come back. After my mom passed, I felt as if my muse had abandoned me at the same time. I'm happy to say Lady Muse is back and we're updating and expanding a story I'd finished some time ago. So far, so good. I'm planning to make this story the first of my work to be self-published. I don't know how that will turn out but I figured it's time I sort of branched out.

 

To write, and write well, you should be a reader and that I've done a lot of. It's helped me to cope with everything else going on in my life. In the building where I live, there is a laundry room that most of the residents make use of. (Others have a service that picks up and delivers every week.) Sometimes people leave books on the table for whoever wants to read them. When you finish with them, you bring them back for someone else to read. Well the last time I did laundry, someone had left a bag of books on the table, and of course I looked through them. I picked up six of the books, left two behind. I felt a wee bit guilty about that until I was told there had been another bag of books left the day before. Good thing I didn't see that one.

 

I've read two of the books and enjoyed both of them. None of the books are recent releases, but that's okay. One was One Heart to Win by Johanna Lindsey. It's been quite a while since I've read any of her work and I'm just realizing how much I've missed her stories. The second book was by an author I'd never heard of and judging by a note someone left in the book, it's one of a series of 5. The author is Donna Birdsell and the book is titled Falcon's Mistress. I had a hard time putting that one down. The romance wasn't overwhelming as some romances are, and the twists and turns of the plot could get you lost if you're not really paying attention. Once I really got into it I had to finish it, which I did a short time ago. I'm ready to move on to the next book.  When I do laundry next week, at least half the books I took from the table with be returned for another reader to enjoy.

 

I'm finding that as I get older (and it might be just my imagination) life seems to go faster. At least in my younger years, if I didn't have time for something, I could be pretty well certain the opportunity would come along again at some point. If it didn't, then it wasn't meant to be. I'm trying to find a way to fit in all the things I want to do. Life is never a sure thing and you have to make the most of it while you have it. Maybe a "bucket list" isn't such a crazy idea.

 

The one thing I'd like to be able to say is "I had few regrets and did it my way."  

 

 (Thank you, Frank)