Thankful for language(s)

This morning the perfect word to describe Minnesota's November weather magically appeared on the computer screen. The word in question "topped a poll to mark Book Week Scotland, led by the Scottish Book Trust." It's the Scottish word dreich. That word has now become one of my favorite words and even has a link to Minnesota since its etymology, according to Merriam-Webster, is "Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse drjūgr lasting."

dull and depressing dreich weather?

Photo by J. Harrington

There's a different word, a Welsh word from another part of the British Isles, that I fell in love with some time ago. That word, hiraeth, is of proto-Celtic derivation. It often describes my feelings for the Southern Massachusetts beaches of my (much) younger days. All of this has reminded me of a piece of doggerel I learned in high school, in the days I studied Latin and ancient Greek languages.

Latin's a dead language
Just as dead as it can be.
First it killed the Romans,
And now it's killing me.

I believe I've noticed that tv, "sound bites," the internet, and social media have all been contributing to a shortened attention span and a depleted vocabulary (mine). It is past time for moderation on social media and recommitment to enlarging my vocabulary, including noting new (or renewed) words and dedicating energy to using those words either here or in conversation. (Yelling curses at the dogs doesn't count.)

in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.

Photo by J. Harrington

As long as we're exploring a theme today related to variants on the English language, it's a great time to share with you another moderately recent discovery, a British web site known as Caught By the River. We've been enjoying it for several months now and have purchased, and enjoyed, both music and books we first discovered in their listings and reviews. Frankly, we'd love to see something similar for the St. Croix Valley. The St. Croix Splash provides a helpful listing of events, but lacks reviews and the original material often found on CBtR. For now, we'll just be thankful that there is the Splash and the additional events listed on the St. Croix 360 events page. Some years ago, the Franconia Sculpture Park sponsored and facilitated an arts-related book club that we really enjoyed. More please?

Eagle Poem

By Joy Harjo

To pray you open your whole self

To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon

To one whole voice that is you.

And know there is more

That you can’t see, can’t hear;

Can’t know except in moments

Steadily growing, and in languages

That aren’t always sound but other

Circles of motion.

Like eagle that Sunday morning

Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky

In wind, swept our hearts clean

With sacred wings.

We see you, see ourselves and know

That we must take the utmost care

And kindness in all things.

Breathe in, knowing we are made of

All this, and breathe, knowing

We are truly blessed because we

Were born, and die soon within a

True circle of motion,

Like eagle rounding out the morning

Inside us.

We pray that it will be done

In beauty.

In beauty.

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