A world with no word for âloveâ
While interviewing some folks about Language Endangerment, our discussions naturally touched upon how language reflects and reinforces the values and beliefs of a culture. Folks commiserated about what is lost when a language dies/is dying.
One example I was reminded of is that there isn't really a word for the English equivalent of "love" in "Chahta anumpa" (Choctaw language).
Modern dictionaries and younger language learners might say that "i hullo" means "(to) love" but some of us remember being taught this was traditionally closer in meaning to "caring" or "to care for." So the closest equivalent I could say when I wrote a beloveds eulogy was, "Chi hullo li na billia chih." (I will care for you forever.)
Love, however, was meant to be expressed through actions and not words.
