Another word we need in English
Apprivoiser: It's a French verb, usually translated as "to tame."
Le Petit Prince, Chapter XXI
"No," said the little prince. "I am looking for friends. What does that mean-- 'tame'?"
"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."
"'To establish ties'?"
"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world..."
"I am beginning to understand," said the little prince. "There is a flower... I think that she has tamed me..."
In the French text, the verb that means "to establish ties" is "apprivoiser".
When you do this with a person or a thing, that entity becomes emotionally real to you. Not just another woman, man, dance partner, tumble, freelancer, office drone, but someone whose life touches yours. You hurt when they do. You rejoice at their joy. It matters to you that they are well and happy, and that you come into contact with them. They can hurt you, without even trying. But the risk of that hurt diminishes, because that person, with all their attendant risks makes your life richer.
English needs a better word for this than "tame."
Le Petit Prince, Chapter XXI
"No," said the little prince. "I am looking for friends. What does that mean-- 'tame'?"
"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."
"'To establish ties'?"
"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world..."
"I am beginning to understand," said the little prince. "There is a flower... I think that she has tamed me..."
In the French text, the verb that means "to establish ties" is "apprivoiser".
When you do this with a person or a thing, that entity becomes emotionally real to you. Not just another woman, man, dance partner, tumble, freelancer, office drone, but someone whose life touches yours. You hurt when they do. You rejoice at their joy. It matters to you that they are well and happy, and that you come into contact with them. They can hurt you, without even trying. But the risk of that hurt diminishes, because that person, with all their attendant risks makes your life richer.
English needs a better word for this than "tame."