Re: OT: Language & clans? Re: OT: Ukraine

Well, of course different languages have different terms for such things
depending on the structure of the societies who speak that language: for
instance, English is probably not ideal for talking about the
intricacies of the old system of family, clans etc of some of the Native
Americans, since most English nations aren't organised in exactly that
way. Its similar to the way family terms and what they cover vary from
language to language depending on what's required and what people think
its important to disguish in conversation, but even though they change,
there are key concepts which don't tend to (I doubt many languages
commonly employ family terms that span different generations, for
instance a word that means "brother"/"uncle" seems unlikely to me. The
exception I'd say is the very general eg "relative"). I don't think that
the various ways and terms languages have to talk about groups of people
are indicative of any difference in the basic concepts. The group ("Us
versus Them") mentality is firmly ingrained in all human beings, as much
as the desire to sleep or eat or drink, so I think every language will
be able to express roughly the same concepts relating to the group/clan
with the details changing depending on the exact way that families, the
political system etc are experienced by speakers of that language.
 This is kindof an opinion piece, so feel free to disagree with any or
all of it. :)

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>  is language shaped by clans or clan thinking?  (or is that part of the
>Whorf-Sapir theory?).
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> just wondering.
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