Rick: the classic example we were always given when I studied languages on
how language colors your thinking is the difference in perceived
responsibility between the English phrase of "I missed the plane" and the
translation of the normal Spanish version "The plane left me". There's a
whole unspoken assumption there that assumes that Anglo-Saxon culture is
more aggressive than Hispanic culture and this explains it. I'm not
entirely sure that the syllogism holds water, but it's still interesting.
Philosophically, I'm still trying to figure out why Hebrew has no ways to
cuss while Arabic is considered possibly the best language in the world for
it, given their proximity....from a historical standpoint, I suspect that
it's related to Hebrew being effectively a dead language artificially
revived.
But I love the Israeli way of coping with this: speak Hebrew, cuss in
Arabic.<g>
Megan "Piglet" Zurawicz, ListPig
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