michael517 wrote:
I don't think it is proper to use the word "Nirvana" except in the context of Hinduism or Buddhism. Word hijacking, or maybe an affront to someone else's religion.
My dictionary says this word is already part of English and means, in addition to it's dimly understood Buddhist technical meaning," "a state or place of great happiness and peace"
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nirvanaI cannot accept the idea that foreign words are somehow the exclusive property of the cultures that create them.
I think that approach to foreign words is disrespectful to the omnivorous, culture-devouring nature of my language. My culture and language are the product of endless collisions and mixtures of varied traditions, language groups and cultures.
To create one English language and attendant conceptual framework, begin with a Celtic foundation and add a layer of Roman imperial control and Latin language. Marinate for centuries, then roughly mix with raiding Germanic peoples. Knead the mix into an Anglo-Saxon dough and let stand, stirring in additional Viking seasoning periodically. Melt a Norman layer of French-Viking and brush over the outer surfaces, use a wooden spoon to fold in Spanish, French, Dutch and Italian conceptual and linguistic seasoning. The flavor of modern English needs a master chef at this stage, so make sure you have a Shakespeare or Francis Bacon to manage the flavor profile as you prepare for the final baking.
The key to understanding the omnivorous, hegemonizing nature of modern English comes with the realization that all this preparation is never finished. The baker must continue to add flavors as the language goes through industrialization and global empire and is then spread across Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India... New flavors are constantly brought in until the idea of "purity" in the language is absurd.
The best the speaker of English can do if others are offended by the appropriation of their words is to offer tea and sympathy, keep calm and carry on. The language will always expand with words from foreign languages. To try to suspend this process would be at least as violent an attack on English as whatever the perceived slight is to the foreign language source.
By the way, is that properly "nirvana" or "nibbana"? Why do we find such variant spellings? ... ahh perhaps it's because the idea was already flowing through multiple languages before it ever made its way to English.
My Nirvana: a house near a quiet beach with a good broadband internet connection and a university town within biking distance. Things for my family to do that would keep them happy. A society that encourages music and dance perfomances of diverse kinds in diverse venues. A large wilderness reserve with hiking trails is nearby. There are many sculpture parks, art galleries and sports facilities in the vicinity. There is a major city a short train ride away, but it is not like the cities we have now. This city is designed to have as small an environmental impact as possible and it's inhabitants are surrounded by vertical farms, windmills and natural waste management facilities. Those people who like to live in closer proximity to others can enjoy that environment, while those who enjoy more peace and quiet can live as I do, a little farther from the eco-friendly urban hub.
11 Sep 2015, 3:00 am
