my favourite things about languages

[kaberett]

-- that they are like blankets or warm jumpers or soup: full of potential. Because they can be beautiful and intricate and handed down through generations, or they can be new and designed particle by particle, or they can be both. (Everything old is new again.)

That they are fuzzy: there is a thing I want to work into a poem at some point, which is that gift means present and Gift means poison and there's obviously something in there about poisoned chalices, about how the act of giving (and giving and giving) can destroy us, about how the things we choose to give as gifts can be toxic to the recipients, about generosity and care and gentleness.

That they taste, that they have different mouth-feels, mouth-shapes. That I know how to be polite in German and imperious in English; that my poetry is English but my lullabies and prayers are German.

That they are the tools by which I communicate: hello, I'm a person. Would you like to make something?

That I have the choice, every day, whether to use them to heal or to hurt; and in choosing to help I remind myself that I am human, that I am real, that I am here.

Comments

[pretty_panther]

I agree so much. I learned German and French (though my French is ahead by miles, sadface. German and its cases defeat me) and they sound and feel so different to me. I can express my passion and anger and despair in German and French seems more wistful, calm, loving and yet French can cut someone down like no one's business. And then there is my limited Spanish vocab which consists of how to get food, drink and travel on holiday and rant at sports people. They are so different and yet their mother nations sit right next to each other. Tis fascinating.

Then there is English 'I'll um, have some of this and some of that and a bit of that on top. There, done' XD