This is a Quality post! It's really crucial to cultural understanding to be able to get some knowledge of how the meaning of a word or expression is not always easy to 'translate' into the vocabulary of another language, and sometimes nearly impossible. Learning different languages, but reading books/texts in one's own language from a former period as well, contributes greatly to forming an openness to cultural differences. The same goes for learning about visual arts and music from other parts of the world. It takes time and effort, but the rewards are more than worth it. I had the luck to be in the class of a teacher who devoted one of the four hours weekly he taught us (classical Greek) to introducing us to examples of differences between languages and the ways of thinking and culture behind them. I did not enjoy classical Greek, but this was my favorite hour of the week (in school). Thank you, Donal, for this excellent article!
Thanks Vincent. Yes, language is such a fascinating thing. Just yesterday, I came across this quote:
Sometimes the mystery of existence— that we exist at all, that we feel so homelessly at home in this place — gets embedded so deeply in life that we no longer feel it as mystery. Language, too, partakes of this sterilizing sameness, becomes in fact as solid and practical as a piece of wood or a pair of pliers, something we use during the course of interchangeable days. Poetry can reignite these dormancies (“words are fossil poetry,” as Emerson put it), of both language and life, send a charge through reality that makes it real again.
— Christian Wiman, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair
"This is also a good argument for reading widely, and particularly including older literature . . ." —Just this past year I learned the etymology of some English words by reading them in their source, for example, "pandemonium" (Paradise Lost) and "pander" (Troilus & Cressida); I'm sure there are many more and loftier words I could learn if I paid better attention. Just now I am deep in the Canterbury tales, learning words that mostly are not lofty, but entertaining natheless.
Here’s a weird thing. When I traveled in China I would gently introduce God into the conversation. To many Chinese this is category that has no reference point in their minds. I am certain many people there have a concept of God, but was surprised so many simply did not have a category for God.
I had the wonderful privilege of traveling the world teaching my IBM colleagues how to lead with passion. Although I delivered "curriculum," I immersed the formulaic material in stories and examples from my own life, how to lead others with a thoughtful hand, and in so doing deliver amazing results to clients. I felt God's hand every time I stood before a class and spoke. These were sacred times. My students (ages 20s - 70s) would often confide in me that their lives would never be the same. It was a deep honor to teach them and give them my life in stories.
This is a Quality post! It's really crucial to cultural understanding to be able to get some knowledge of how the meaning of a word or expression is not always easy to 'translate' into the vocabulary of another language, and sometimes nearly impossible. Learning different languages, but reading books/texts in one's own language from a former period as well, contributes greatly to forming an openness to cultural differences. The same goes for learning about visual arts and music from other parts of the world. It takes time and effort, but the rewards are more than worth it. I had the luck to be in the class of a teacher who devoted one of the four hours weekly he taught us (classical Greek) to introducing us to examples of differences between languages and the ways of thinking and culture behind them. I did not enjoy classical Greek, but this was my favorite hour of the week (in school). Thank you, Donal, for this excellent article!
Thanks Vincent. Yes, language is such a fascinating thing. Just yesterday, I came across this quote:
Sometimes the mystery of existence— that we exist at all, that we feel so homelessly at home in this place — gets embedded so deeply in life that we no longer feel it as mystery. Language, too, partakes of this sterilizing sameness, becomes in fact as solid and practical as a piece of wood or a pair of pliers, something we use during the course of interchangeable days. Poetry can reignite these dormancies (“words are fossil poetry,” as Emerson put it), of both language and life, send a charge through reality that makes it real again.
— Christian Wiman, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair
"This is also a good argument for reading widely, and particularly including older literature . . ." —Just this past year I learned the etymology of some English words by reading them in their source, for example, "pandemonium" (Paradise Lost) and "pander" (Troilus & Cressida); I'm sure there are many more and loftier words I could learn if I paid better attention. Just now I am deep in the Canterbury tales, learning words that mostly are not lofty, but entertaining natheless.
This is a great piece, thanks for sharing!!
Good point. Shakespeare coined thousands of new words and Milton hundreds. And somehow I failed to mention either of them in this essay. 😐
Chaucer, too... around 2,000 I think!
Clearly, I need to read ‘Canterbury Tales’.
Here’s a weird thing. When I traveled in China I would gently introduce God into the conversation. To many Chinese this is category that has no reference point in their minds. I am certain many people there have a concept of God, but was surprised so many simply did not have a category for God.
Oh wow. That makes sense, actually. Have you come across this book?: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23151117-everyone-belongs-to-god
I have not. Looks like I need to read it. Thanks for the tip.
And I love your stuff.
Thanks Henry! Always great to connect with strangers over big ideas. How long ago were you in China?
Between 2006 - 2016 I visited China probably 15 times in my prior work life.
Interesting. What was your work?
I had the wonderful privilege of traveling the world teaching my IBM colleagues how to lead with passion. Although I delivered "curriculum," I immersed the formulaic material in stories and examples from my own life, how to lead others with a thoughtful hand, and in so doing deliver amazing results to clients. I felt God's hand every time I stood before a class and spoke. These were sacred times. My students (ages 20s - 70s) would often confide in me that their lives would never be the same. It was a deep honor to teach them and give them my life in stories.