language
/ˈlaŋɡwɪdʒ/
system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.
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Primarily, people invented language to communicate better. However, languages went through a process of evolution and there are more than 6000 languages nowadays. Crazy!
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I’m generally curious about how language is used. Sophisticated at times to satisfy the intellect, on other occasions, simple and void of complex metaphors to save brain work.
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The latter is commonly used in Egyptian dialect. Often expressed through using simple analogies that I enjoy when I learn about aaaaallll the time. Seriously, it never ceases to impress/amuse me me how ‘on point’ the use of language is sometimes. This plant, Plectranthus scutellarioides, commonly known as coleus, is one of my favorite examples. (side note: It’s okay with being in the shade/indoors and based on my experience, once you get the watering schedule right, it’s low maintenance). This plant has a very interesting ‘street’ name that made me giggle when I heard it the first time. They call it سجادة (segada) which literally translates to ‘carpet’. Isn’t that cute? People need a way to easily remember things, and the way it looks and FEELS informed the decision in this case.. The leaves of this plant feel like velvet and the plant has an exquisite and vibrant foliage. Egyptian gardeners had to find an easy way to communicate as well as remember the name of this plant and they must have found it so much easier to remember “carpet” than Plectranthus scutellarioides, or whatever the equivalent of that would be in Arabic. Genius.
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I also feel like ‘segada’ is already a nickname which saves me the energy I spend on naming my plants so.. you there, meet my easy-going friend and baby segada dada.
/ˈlaŋɡwɪdʒ/
system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.
•
Primarily, people invented language to communicate better. However, languages went through a process of evolution and there are more than 6000 languages nowadays. Crazy!
•
I’m generally curious about how language is used. Sophisticated at times to satisfy the intellect, on other occasions, simple and void of complex metaphors to save brain work.
•
The latter is commonly used in Egyptian dialect. Often expressed through using simple analogies that I enjoy when I learn about aaaaallll the time. Seriously, it never ceases to impress/amuse me me how ‘on point’ the use of language is sometimes. This plant, Plectranthus scutellarioides, commonly known as coleus, is one of my favorite examples. (side note: It’s okay with being in the shade/indoors and based on my experience, once you get the watering schedule right, it’s low maintenance). This plant has a very interesting ‘street’ name that made me giggle when I heard it the first time. They call it سجادة (segada) which literally translates to ‘carpet’. Isn’t that cute? People need a way to easily remember things, and the way it looks and FEELS informed the decision in this case.. The leaves of this plant feel like velvet and the plant has an exquisite and vibrant foliage. Egyptian gardeners had to find an easy way to communicate as well as remember the name of this plant and they must have found it so much easier to remember “carpet” than Plectranthus scutellarioides, or whatever the equivalent of that would be in Arabic. Genius.
•
I also feel like ‘segada’ is already a nickname which saves me the energy I spend on naming my plants so.. you there, meet my easy-going friend and baby segada dada.
