common waters
Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 4:02 pm
as I noted on my recent travelogue, the Guarani word Iguazu means "big waters".
What I didn't point out is that their word for water is « i » - which makes one wonder whether the similarity with our own word (see etymology for island, or watery land) is purely coincidental, or pehaps there is some hitherto obscure relationship between these two language families.
of course, the coincidence (if that is indeed what it is) does bring to mind notions of neural pathways and the hard wiring that apparently dictates much of what we do, perhaps even the sound of our languages.
What I didn't point out is that their word for water is « i » - which makes one wonder whether the similarity with our own word (see etymology for island, or watery land) is purely coincidental, or pehaps there is some hitherto obscure relationship between these two language families.
of course, the coincidence (if that is indeed what it is) does bring to mind notions of neural pathways and the hard wiring that apparently dictates much of what we do, perhaps even the sound of our languages.