Worldbuilding/Culturebuilding: Language Freelance Traveller (05 May 2015 15:45 UTC)
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Re: [TML] Worldbuilding/Culturebuilding: Language
Richard Aiken
(06 May 2015 05:38 UTC)
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Re: [TML] Worldbuilding/Culturebuilding: Language
Phil Pugliese
(06 May 2015 17:14 UTC)
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Worldbuilding/Culturebuilding: Language Freelance Traveller 05 May 2015 15:45 UTC
The relationship between language and culture is deep, and exists on many levels. Social relationships can affect language and its use, occasionally in interesting ways. One such is the phenomenon of the 'avoidance language' or 'mother-in-law language'. While the formal definition is quite a bit narrower (and more rigorous) than I use here, it's not entirely inaccurate to describe the phenomenon as a language (or vocabulary within a language) that allows communication between social groups that may not otherwise be permitted to interact 'normally'. Some examples of this phenomenon - and possibly related ones: * Among certain tribal societies, most notably Australian aboriginals and some North American tribes, it is forbidden for a person ('ego', in such discussions) to talk to (or in some cases, even look at) ego's spouse's parent of the opposite sex. In such cases, communication between ego and the taboo person, may be done through such a language. (This is the origin of the term 'mother-in-law language'.) Most examples of this type of avoidance language have features such as reduced vocabulary and circumlocutive phrasing (usually because of the reduced vocabulary). * In discussions of Japanese culture prior to extensive contact with the West, it is often said (with accuracy unknown to me) that one would use different vocabulary when speaking to someone of higher social status, of equal social status, and of lower social status - and that similar differences of vocabulary applied when men and women spoke to each other. The social-status difference also appeared in Robert A. Heinlein's novel _Farnham's Freehold_. * In the German medieval and renaissance periods, it has been suggested that nobles never gave orders directly to their servants. Instead, they would address others in the room, or even inanimate objects, and simply describe what the servant was required to do, e.g., 'She will bring brandy', 'He will bring the carriage to the door', 'She will escort the guest to her (the guest's) room', and so on. -- Jeff Zeitlin, Editor Freelance Traveller The Electronic Fan-Supported Traveller® Fanzine and Resource xxxxxx@freelancetraveller.com http://www.freelancetraveller.com http://freelancetraveller.downport.com/ ®Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises, 1977-2014. Use of the trademark in this notice and in the referenced materials is not intended to infringe or devalue the trademark. Freelance Traveller extends its thanks to the following enterprises for hosting services: CyberNET Web Hosting (http://www.cyberwebhosting.net) The Traveller Downport (http://www.downport.com)