I have run out of words to write and so the magpie resurfaces and hunts among her own words and blogs to find herself once more. I found Jan Morris, Robert Macfarlane and Paul to enlighten me along the way. It is like wandering off the path and forgetting who you are.
 |
| Lanyon Quoit in Cornwall |
In their lichened, faceted faces By Jan Morris
In their lichened,
faceted faces we see our lineaments; in their
solitariness, our loneliness, or our need to be
alone; in their gregariousness, our
congregational temper; in their alignment,
our deviousness; in their poised mass, our
fragility; in their rootedness, our
deracination; in their age, our ephemerality;
and in their naked outfacing of time and the
elements, a valuable lesson in patient dissent.
https://northstoke.blogspot.com/2012/06/books-robert-macfarlane-old-ways.html
On words: An answer given by my darling Paul on transience.............................
Not really picking holes folks :-) I just believe that, as words are the main way we communicate with each other, it’s incumbent on us to try to understand exactly what we’re saying when we use one. Also that others have the *same* understanding of the word. I’ve used the word ‘understanding’ twice there – it’s one of my favourite words. Literally to ‘stand under’ to receive from above (from a teacher, a parent a deity). And that’s just our Anglo-Saxon way of expressing the ‘understanding’ idea – in other cultures the way of expressing the idea is different again. In Japanese it’s wakarimashita – literally ‘I have divided’. In other words I’ve ‘divided’ from you what you have told me and now I ‘understand’ :-)
And that’s only two words for one concept – imagine what it’s like when it’s whole sentences in a multitude of languages... ahh... give us the gift of tongues.
And that’s only two words for one concept – imagine what it’s like when it’s whole sentences in a multitude of languages... ahh... give us the gift of tongues.
I have never given much thought to the roots of the word "understanding" but I shall look at it in a fresh light now Thelma. Words and ideas for blogging have dried up here too - winter and a persistent cold have pulled me into the doldrums.
ReplyDeleteI know have just read your latest. Winter is an especially cruel time for you.
DeleteWas she introducing an act on "The Good Old Days"?
ReplyDeleteAre you referring to Jan Morris?
DeleteShe'd never have been on "The Good Old Days" of course, but I'm afraid I can imagine these lines being delivered by Leonard Sachs - philistine that I am.
DeleteOkay, not quite sure I understand but will go with it:) Never watched the 'Good old days'
DeleteI have read most of Jan Morris's work and always enjoy it. A friend bought me 'In my mind's eye'- A Thought Diary' for my birthday and I have enjoyed it immensely - dibbing into it in spare minutes. Over the years I have admired her greatly.
ReplyDeleteIn her Welsh fastness she wrote about the world, must look for that book.
ReplyDeleteI lose words all the time now and it frightens me. I worry about losing myself, and yes, understanding is an important word for me also.
ReplyDeleteI have lost words most of my life, and my daughter always reassures me that I find them eventually. As we get older the neurons just get a bit slower.
ReplyDelete