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...
Oh FFS.
ReplyDeleteI mean, seriously. The best grade I got in World History class was a comparative essay on the Nicene Creed and another religious creed (can't remember which it was) but no parent complained that it was indoctrinating us in the ways of Christianity and shut down the whole fucking school system.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you're already in the cult and are toeing the indoctrination line, that's ok. It's the other cults you have to worry about. THEY'RE STEALING THE CHILDREN.
ReplyDeleteAlso, shutting down the system was because Teh Intarnets blewed up and there were threats and stuff. Because, you know, the best way to fix education is to prevent it.