Language Speaks Volumes About Cultural Differences
Language can reveal so much about the values and priorities in a culture. That’s why I love learning about different languages and discovering the richness of cultural differences. Perhaps Rita Mae Brown best described the connection between language and culture when she said:
Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.
One Thousand Names
What would you call this animal? To me, it is simply a reindeer.
There are 48 terms in the Northern Saami language for the shape of reindeer antlers.
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People in Norway rely heavily on reindeer like this one for transportation as well as for food. Owners need to easily identify their animals. So the people have developed very precise language to talk about the animals.
Dr. Ole Henrik Magga reports that, in the Northern Saami language in Norway, there are...
