And even more about languages and historical fiction...
Continuing on, because I seem to keep forgetting to add stuff I wanted to say....
The languages we know shape our mindsets and worldviews, so if one does not know the language of the place about which one is writing/wants to write, then there are very concepts that one cannot evoke. If we don't have the words for a concept, then we often don't even fathom the existence of that concept until we bump into a foreign word that describes it.
Like yesterday, A. said something to which I wanted to reply, "It's probably because of 先入為主." Except I don't know an English equivalent for the expression, nor do I know an easy way of translating it into English, so I just ended up not saying anything at all. And no one else in the room (three English people) said anything to that effect. Or how before I encountered the term 'sehnsucht', I couldn't explain this emotion I had felt for more than a third of my life because I knew no words to describe it in either English or Chinese. (And my understanding of the term may still be off, sure, because my German is pretty rubbish, but it comes a lot closer to describing the feeling than any other word I know.)
And of course, language changes over time. Terms for things change, commonly used phrases change, etc., so there's that as well. For example, writing in Literary Chinese means that educated people in Imperial China have an additional dimension for people writing about them to consider, as Literary Chinese is nothing like Vernacular Chinese. And different grammatical structures change the way people think-languages that are strongly gendered, for example, lead to their speakers ofter associating objects with a gender quite strongly (e.g. compare el sol to die Sonne).
/cares about historical accuracy too much, basically
++
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate
t.A.T.u. - All the Things She Said. I don't hate it, but I'm a lot more indifferent to it than when I first heard it because I think the Russian version is far superior. (Not to mention that the English music video is basically the Russian one spliced together to make the mouths and sounds match. :P)
Day 01 - Your favourite song - 墨明棋妙 - 二十二桥枫别雨
Day 02 - Your least favourite song - Soulja Boy - Crank That
Day 03 - A song that makes you happy - 阿杰 - 盛唐夜唱
Day 04 - A song that makes you sad - S.E.N.S. - Palace Memories
Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone - Death Cab for Cutie - Brothers on a Hotel Bed
Day 06 - A song that reminds you of somewhere - Shakira - Hips Don't Lie
Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event - Ivri Lider - Bo
Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to - 李麗芬 - 愛不釋手
Day 09 - A song that you can dance to - Hadouken! - Declaration of War
Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep - 莊子鼓盆 音樂：天地(全新創作)
Day 11 - A song from your favorite band - 宇多田ヒカル - HEART STATION
Day 12 - A song from a band you hate - Justin Bieber - Baby
Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure - Sisqo - Thong Song
Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love - Taylor Swift - Love Story
Day 15 - A song that describes you - 胡彦斌 - 愿望
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate - t.A.T.u. - All the Things She Said
Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 - A song from your favorite album
Day 20 - A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 - A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 - A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 - A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 - A song from your childhood
Day 30 - Your favourite song at this time last year
The languages we know shape our mindsets and worldviews, so if one does not know the language of the place about which one is writing/wants to write, then there are very concepts that one cannot evoke. If we don't have the words for a concept, then we often don't even fathom the existence of that concept until we bump into a foreign word that describes it.
Like yesterday, A. said something to which I wanted to reply, "It's probably because of 先入為主." Except I don't know an English equivalent for the expression, nor do I know an easy way of translating it into English, so I just ended up not saying anything at all. And no one else in the room (three English people) said anything to that effect. Or how before I encountered the term 'sehnsucht', I couldn't explain this emotion I had felt for more than a third of my life because I knew no words to describe it in either English or Chinese. (And my understanding of the term may still be off, sure, because my German is pretty rubbish, but it comes a lot closer to describing the feeling than any other word I know.)
And of course, language changes over time. Terms for things change, commonly used phrases change, etc., so there's that as well. For example, writing in Literary Chinese means that educated people in Imperial China have an additional dimension for people writing about them to consider, as Literary Chinese is nothing like Vernacular Chinese. And different grammatical structures change the way people think-languages that are strongly gendered, for example, lead to their speakers ofter associating objects with a gender quite strongly (e.g. compare el sol to die Sonne).
/cares about historical accuracy too much, basically
++
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate
t.A.T.u. - All the Things She Said. I don't hate it, but I'm a lot more indifferent to it than when I first heard it because I think the Russian version is far superior. (Not to mention that the English music video is basically the Russian one spliced together to make the mouths and sounds match. :P)
Day 01 - Your favourite song - 墨明棋妙 - 二十二桥枫别雨
Day 02 - Your least favourite song - Soulja Boy - Crank That
Day 03 - A song that makes you happy - 阿杰 - 盛唐夜唱
Day 04 - A song that makes you sad - S.E.N.S. - Palace Memories
Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone - Death Cab for Cutie - Brothers on a Hotel Bed
Day 06 - A song that reminds you of somewhere - Shakira - Hips Don't Lie
Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event - Ivri Lider - Bo
Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to - 李麗芬 - 愛不釋手
Day 09 - A song that you can dance to - Hadouken! - Declaration of War
Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep - 莊子鼓盆 音樂：天地(全新創作)
Day 11 - A song from your favorite band - 宇多田ヒカル - HEART STATION
Day 12 - A song from a band you hate - Justin Bieber - Baby
Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure - Sisqo - Thong Song
Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love - Taylor Swift - Love Story
Day 15 - A song that describes you - 胡彦斌 - 愿望
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate - t.A.T.u. - All the Things She Said
Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 - A song from your favorite album
Day 20 - A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 - A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 - A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 - A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 - A song from your childhood
Day 30 - Your favourite song at this time last year