Double Faced Language?
Today we had a little ceremony at uni saying farwell to an Omani colleague who just finished his Master's thesis on modelling the brain mathmatically while in a sedadtive state. During the ceremony, people stood up to talk, and to praise this colleague. Just basically say really nice stuff. At the end of it all he stood up to talk to everyone at the ceremony and said something that went like "I am suprised at the things said about me, even I didn't know them". I know it was a joke, but it strongly reminded me of a topic me and a friend of mine discussed not too long ago.
We were discussing both the Arabic and Persian language, coz they are rather similar in one sense. Arabic is a polite language. It is also a very poetic language, chock full off similes and and metaphors. When greeting another person, it may take minutes in order to complete a greeting. When one asks for something, an answer he or she may get is "Min 3yoony" (from my eyes). When expressing love for someone, one may say "7ayati" (My life). This kinda shows that you are prepared to sacrifice your eyes or even your life for the other person. Which kinda leads to an allegory and thus the double face, coz not many who say this are prepared to sacrfice their eyes or their life. It's quite intresting to try and work out where this phrases stem from, coz for example, the phrase "from my eyes" doesnt exist in the same sense with the English language as it does with Arabic. I think there's a hundred plus ways to say "I love you" in Arabic, while with English it's just one. And so ultimatly, this also leads to the double nature of the speakers themselves, coz honestly I think the Arabian society has the highest number of double faces. Because coureteousy is of the utmost importance, a person will use the poetic Arabic language to be sweet and corteous, when in fact the opposite is true deep inside. This also seems to be true with other poetic languages such as Persian, which my friends speaks.
It's just a theory lol. Not that I completely agree with it, but there are some intresting points.
On another note, I WON THE BET! But victory is so not sweet this time. I saw G today, and she waved then walked over to me. I was kinda suprised, then I yelled "Ha! I win the bet!". She gave me this really sad look, and went "This bet has proved to me I mean nothing to you"
....?!?!?!
I was gobsmacked, then seriously confused. I mean, were we not on an agreement to not talk to each other? And besides, she's the one who started it! I told her this and she went "Yes, but if you had started it I would totally txt you the next day and say I can't do this bet"
Omg I felt like we were a married couple at this point. I just didnt know what to say lol. Then the guilt started kicking in, coz I was pretty scatterbrained last week and so was always late for all of our meet ups to the point of irritating her. I apologized to her at this point, and told her I'll try not to repeat it again.
Seriously, her walking up to me and losing the bet is a huge deal, coz G is one of the most proud and stubborn people I know.
We were discussing both the Arabic and Persian language, coz they are rather similar in one sense. Arabic is a polite language. It is also a very poetic language, chock full off similes and and metaphors. When greeting another person, it may take minutes in order to complete a greeting. When one asks for something, an answer he or she may get is "Min 3yoony" (from my eyes). When expressing love for someone, one may say "7ayati" (My life). This kinda shows that you are prepared to sacrifice your eyes or even your life for the other person. Which kinda leads to an allegory and thus the double face, coz not many who say this are prepared to sacrfice their eyes or their life. It's quite intresting to try and work out where this phrases stem from, coz for example, the phrase "from my eyes" doesnt exist in the same sense with the English language as it does with Arabic. I think there's a hundred plus ways to say "I love you" in Arabic, while with English it's just one. And so ultimatly, this also leads to the double nature of the speakers themselves, coz honestly I think the Arabian society has the highest number of double faces. Because coureteousy is of the utmost importance, a person will use the poetic Arabic language to be sweet and corteous, when in fact the opposite is true deep inside. This also seems to be true with other poetic languages such as Persian, which my friends speaks.
It's just a theory lol. Not that I completely agree with it, but there are some intresting points.
On another note, I WON THE BET! But victory is so not sweet this time. I saw G today, and she waved then walked over to me. I was kinda suprised, then I yelled "Ha! I win the bet!". She gave me this really sad look, and went "This bet has proved to me I mean nothing to you"
....?!?!?!
I was gobsmacked, then seriously confused. I mean, were we not on an agreement to not talk to each other? And besides, she's the one who started it! I told her this and she went "Yes, but if you had started it I would totally txt you the next day and say I can't do this bet"
Omg I felt like we were a married couple at this point. I just didnt know what to say lol. Then the guilt started kicking in, coz I was pretty scatterbrained last week and so was always late for all of our meet ups to the point of irritating her. I apologized to her at this point, and told her I'll try not to repeat it again.
Seriously, her walking up to me and losing the bet is a huge deal, coz G is one of the most proud and stubborn people I know.
6 Comments:
This was one long post. But, let me say congrats on winning the bet :D
Cheers Nighty =D
it's a long post, but i love it, you have a very interesting way of writing. keep updating!
so true about the double faced language *nods*
i like G, she seems like a sweetie, and she really cares for you.
take care of each other.
best friends are rare, very rare..
*goes to the corner..sits there..depressed* =(
Thank you Nella =)
I know what you mean, friends like G are rare. Inshallah we'll always stay like this.
And don't you dare be depressed! You sound like an awesome friend yourself *gives cookie*
You know how sometimes one has to go through المر و العلقم in order to be rewarded?
No, I wasn't referring to your post, I was actually referring to myself reading your post. I had to go through all that 'Arabic is a double faced language' mumbo jumbo (which makes clear sense by the way, but is utterly pointless), just to get to the best part of the post...
"I was kinda suprised, then I yelled "Ha! I win the bet!". She gave me this really sad look, and went "This bet has proved to me I mean nothing to you"
....?!?!?!
I was gobsmacked, then seriously confused."
LOL
Come on! That was funny!
Alright so the bet's over, no need for that dinner. But hey, now that you guys are friends again, this calls for a celebration, let's go out for dinner!
Who is Me! (you) in order for me (literally) to know who to go out to dinner with.
About the mumbo jumbo: But I likes it! Makes me feel clever and big brained and stuff =P Aww shucks common dude, this blog is like the only place where I can talk without someone telling me to shut up, aaaaaaaaaaaaand you've just ruined it >_< lol
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