It's de rigueur on the Field David Bertram Ogilvy, second Lord Redesdale, would break into paroxysms of fury if ever the term weekend were used in his presence. He called anyone using the term a “sewer” and slated the offender as beneath contempt. Often he threatened to whip him with a large Canadian stock whip, designed to punish cattle. He thought the term weekend a Victorian vulgarism. Lord Redesdale died in 1958, but his opinion lives on in the French Academy. The academy, that guardian of the French language - coterminous with French culture -- despises the importation from English of le weekend. Civilized Francophones are to use the term fin de semain. Despite the ire of the academy, French use of the term continues. A compromise was proposed rendering le weekend as l’oiuquand, or some such spelling, “Frenchifying” the offending term. This compromise was so silly even the French thought it so. But the debate itself is telling. Language matters. It defines peoples. Peoples differ and one thing cannot possibly be said equally well in any language. Sympathy created through the use of another’s language is immense. That is why the cultivation of the local tongue is an imperative requisite for anyone living in another country. In Afghanistan the tribal lines break down mostly along linguistic lines: Uzbek, Tajik, Pashtun, etc. Learning the language of a tribe is an arduous task and it obliges one to work within that tribe, constantly honing skills with the language. Millennium workers learn their languages. They must, as there are Lord Redesdale types everywhere. James Clark ============================================================== (c) 2002 Millennium Relief & Development Services, vol. 2 no. 15 'Insight' is a publication of MRDS to interpret current events in light of the experience of members of our international network. 'Insight' archives and other information can be found on our website. 'Insight' may be freely copied with this citation. If you wish to be removed from this mailing list, simply reply and request to be removed. Millennium RDS, 5116 Bissonnet #358, Bellaire, TX 77401-4007 Tel: (713)961-5645 Fax: (713)961-5735 www.mrds.org insight@mrds.org. ==============================================================