My dad wrote the five love languages, but i love language itself!

Especially learning peoples through their languages. I taught english in Israel and other places. Learning some czech today from my friend in Prague. Language holds culture and symbol in it’s tones. How we communicate reveals so much about what we really value.

Such an amazing phenomenon language is! We like to symbolize ourselves and communicate (and how we do so, tells so much about who we are), and we do so in so many ways! I love language still.

If the languages were diversified at babel, they were celebrated at Pentecost, as one teacher told me!

Used to teach english and my mom was an English major. I used to collect etymology and word stories books! Still do.

I often practice my spanish, as we have so many friends who only speak it here.
It’s like each language has it’s own lessons of perception! Language is a wonder!

We make up abstract symbols to tell one another things to express ourselves….fascinating about us! Some words have a toast to being human in them! And each word has it’s own world really.

Yet, the heart is deeper than language, and the heart translates! I love asking people their favorite words in their native language and why? We take english for granted, but it has some rich words also! French has so many aesthetic nuanced words. I love trying to describe a sunset in french. But the spanish aren’t bad at sunset either.

Reading a book of spanish poetry now, and there is an inner musicality to that tongue! Fun thinking about language itself today, and what it reveals about our cultural values! Great learning from my friend today also!

Yet expresses itself through it! So we can sense so much about the inside from the outside, so much about the identity from the cultural expression or outer clothing.

For instance today, i was asking my friend if they have a word for cute in their language. Some languages don’t. There it’s kin to amiable—kind and pleasant. In Spanish it’s more like que linda, but could also be preciosa. Precious. The british would say, dear! You are a dear.

The czechs have another word which means something like cheers to your being! A toast to the being of another is a good idea! I learn so much through language.

My dad studied anthropology, he loves other cultures. Me too! I think i learn the most by seeing how we talk, what words we value and use often. Zatim in czech—see you again, in the meantime blessings, sort of thing. Sort of similar to hasta la vista, o hasta pronto! See ya soon. I often say, i look forward to seeing you in the future; but that’s very formal. Yet true to me. Language reveals the heart.

There is another czech word which is like a toast to someone’s being! Nice. Shalom is similar i think. May you be whole in every area, is a good translation!

Sometimes i wish we could choose the best way of saying something from whichever language does it best! If we think of universal languages of being human, we still have these great distinctions. What are your favorite words in your native language? I would love to collect them as celebrations of diversity of all our articulations of being human!