Quote:
Originally Posted by RWood
In English we have a word called "snow" for the frozen rain that falls in the winter months. Sometimes this is modified with such words as light, heavy, dry, or wet. The Eskimos have I'm told 40 words in their native language for snow. It all depends on what is important to a civilization.
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Just reading up on that: Apparently the "Eskimo words for snow" thing has become the subject of urban myth, with everything from 7 to 400 words for snow, depending on the source!
But the point is made: One culture's concept may not translate outside of that culture's experience, and can therefore be lost to other cultures.