TIL that some languages apparently have words inherently differentiating one's status as a citizen or resident of the entity versus a member of a particular ethnic or cultural group? I don't quite grasp the whole thing, although I heard the point being made. What's interesting to me is a) that there is such a thing, which seems very revealing of something about a culture that would need such concepts built into the language, and b) that there seem to be people who think it's inaccurate to interpret the word choice as meaningful. Firstly, since languages have all sorts of concepts built into them, many very specific to their primary culture of use, it seems reasonable that such a thing could exist. Not that I would have thought of it before, since I'm not from a culture where that sort of subtlety functions. Secondly, if that is, indeed, the subtlety of the word choices, where one essentially and inherently includes people, and the other excludes, then I'd kind o...
Science. What do they know?
ReplyDeleteIn Turkey, it is. There are villages in the East that used to be unreachable from November to March. Mountain ranges coming together and rising to mount Ararat, you know.
ReplyDeleteAlso, (and the central plateau) needs to get two or the good snows in the winter it there'll be water trouble come spring.
Istanbul acts like DC re: snow: it is normal for them to get several good snowfalls, and they panic every time.
The Mediterranean shore, on the other hand, which is what Turkey has in common with the other countries you listed, does get bemused when it sees snow, and rightfully so. Falling below 10 C (50 F) is unusual there.
I figured about the mountains, but didn't know Istanbul got snow. The coverage certainly suggests omgomgomg. There was even something in there about They Closed the Bosphorous!!!! However, the DC analogy provides excellent clarity.
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