Oh, I'd be stumped, Max. Once I leave my local environs, east west north
south are all lost on me. Each language has its own peculiarities, doesn't
it - makes them fascinating.
Good found poem, isn't it. You had a good eye to recognise it.
Cheers -
Andrew
On 28 July 2010 10:04, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> In Pormpuraaw
>
> a remote Aboriginal community,
> the indigenous languages
> don't use terms like
> "left" and "right."
>
> Instead, everything
> is talked about in terms of
> north, south,
> east, west.
>
> You say things like
> "There's an ant
> on your southwest leg."
>
> To say hello in Pormpuraaw,
> one asks
> "Where are you going?";
>
> an appropriate response might be
> "A long way to the south-south-west.
> How about you?"
>
> If you don't know
> which way is which,
> you literally can't get past
> hello.
>
>
>
>
>
--
Andrew
http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
'Mother Waits for Father Late' republished available at
http://www.picaropress.com/
http://www.qlrs.com/poem.asp?id=766
http://frankshome.org/AndrewBurke.html
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