16 Comments
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asma's avatar

such a cool essay i wanna go learn all about this now

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Onyi's avatar

thank you 💜!! Let me know if you need / want any sources

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Immy Heath's avatar

This is beautifully written and sums up my own curiosity with language and linguistics! It’s fascinating to think how people perceive things is ultimately down to the language used. I think language majorly affects the western/eastern philosophies, and also don’t get me started on etymology, how crazy that over time meanings of words change and the cultural influences on it!!!

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Onyi's avatar

thanks sm for taking the time to read 💗! completely with you on etymology, once had a legit conversation with a friend over the origin of the words spoon and fork 😭😭

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Clari Alfíe's avatar

Sounds like you'll be interested in studying Anthropology. Also I find it so interesting how in Spanish we can say "te quiero" in a kind of level before loving but in English literally translates to "I want you", and there´s no inbetween to say "I like you" (as a person) and "I love you", with love being such a strong word, another thing that doesn't happens in spanish.

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Mica's avatar

this reminded me of the film Past Lives!

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yas's avatar

brilliant and beautifully written

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Dorothea opoku's avatar

This was beautiful! Never thought linguistics would be this intriguing. Love it ❤️

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adama👩🏾‍🌾's avatar

me rn because i learned my favorite poet was a highschool latin teacher and it makes the poetry so much more interesting!

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adama👩🏾‍🌾's avatar

i am now going to take a language class next semester just to become a better poet !

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Shaniya Odulawa's avatar

I remember reading about language shapes how we view things when I said half past 8 to a friend who grew up in Spain and they kept showing up at the wrong time 😭

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Onyi's avatar

wait so what time is half past 8 in Spain ??😭

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Shaniya Odulawa's avatar

I can’t remember but in Spain and Germany when you say half past it doesn’t mean 8:30 for example 😭

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Onyi's avatar

tbf I get it now. I’m literally relearning how to tell time in Dutch before my lesson and I just saw something that wasn’t making sense in English 😭

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ThandoTalks's avatar

I have written a poetry in my native African language, which I I'm so proud of, now my struggle is that of translating it to English so that my readers here on Substack can have access to it too. 😩😭 This was a great read Onyi🩷🫠

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Onyi's avatar

thanks sm for taking the time to read 💗💗! hope you find the right words !!

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