“The Sweep” [Reflections On Nicholas Ostler's Book, Empires Of The Word - A Language History Of The World, Harper Perennial, 2005 - Chap. 1 Con't]
A language can get swept away quite fast,
But while it’s ’round it holds on to its past;
A language lets some folks together act,
Then talk about, and store communal facts.He claims that just as speakers have a ‘Voice’,
Distinctive to their ways of life, and choice,
So too, collective languages have tones
Which shape the minds of those who learn at home –To speak their “Mother’s tongue” (from mom to kid),
Embedded with an Outlook hard to rid,
Oneself of even learning other tongues
(Third culture kids have multi-language ones).Here “Metaphors”, and “States of mind” and “ ’Tudes
Towards others” flow most easily – so feuds
Define themselves between linguistic groups,
As “Shibboleths” define each group’s pursuits.Most writing-systems are by neighbors brought;
Originals exchange for new forms taught;
Adapted into cultures, they become
The way folks write for business and for fun.His working-base says when groups settle in
To herd and farm, is when they first begin
To need a language bigger than their own,
So lesser dialects are left alone.No mention has he made of Babel yarn –
How it was given to man to slow the harm
We do with our collective unity;
Though he admits we’d rather fight, so flee –Into our corners waving language flags,
And strive to get ahead when neighbor lags;
We’d rather keep distinctive ways of life,
Than stay together chatting through the night.Thanks Lord for this.
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