[net.nlang] the word "love" in English vs Hungarian

jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) (01/29/85)

	Some Hungarian friends of mine tell me that in the Hungarian language
there are two words for "love": one for familial or platonic love, and one for
sexual love (i.e. the feeling that lovers have toward one another).  They have
lived in the U.S. for years, and say that the lack of a distinction in English
still bothers them.
	I think that this lack of distinction in English has probably screwed up
more people that the he/she problem.  How many men hesitate to say that they
love another man, fearing that someone might think they were gay?  And how many
men are unable to even *think* that they love other men?  Of course, the fear
of homosexuality has more to do with this that the language, but I think the
blurring of the meanings of "love" makes it hard for homophobic men to express
affection for each other.  This "love" problem has probably even gotten in the
way of platonic friendships between members of the opposite sex, by convincing
people that love between men and women is impossible without sexual feelings.
	What do you think?  Is my reasoning sound, or would having two words
for love create just as many problems?  Am I overestimating the effect of
language on behavior?
	By the way, I'm no expert on Hungarian.  The only Hungarian word I know
is "porcivo", which means vacuum cleaner.  The literal translation is "dust
sucker".
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak

friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) (01/30/85)

In article <116@rtech.ARPA> jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) writes:
>
>	Some Hungarian friends of mine tell me that in the Hungarian language
>there are two words for "love": one for familial or platonic love, and one for
>sexual love (i.e. the feeling that lovers have toward one another).  They have
>lived in the U.S. for years, and say that the lack of a distinction in English
>still bothers them.

	As an aside, Ancient Greek also has more than one word for 'love'
It has three, one for familial(brotherly) love, one for 'platonic' love
and one for sexual love.

>	I think that this lack of distinction in English has probably screwed up
>more people that the he/she problem.
>	What do you think?  Is my reasoning sound, or would having two words
>for love create just as many problems?  Am I overestimating the effect of
>language on behavior?

	I agree in principle, but where are we going to get another word?
-- 

				Sarima (Stanley Friesen)

{trwrb|allegra|cbosgd|hplabs|ihnp4|aero!uscvax!akgua}!sdcrdcf!psivax!friesen
 or
quad1!psivax!friesen

alan@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Alan Algustyniak) (01/30/85)

>	Some Hungarian friends of mine tell me that in the Hungarian language
>there are two words for "love": one for familial or platonic love, and one for
>sexual love
>	I think that this lack of distinction in English has probably screwed up
>more people that the he/she problem.

How about the French lang. where the same word means both 'to love' (in both
sense) and 'to like'.

nather@utastro.UUCP (Ed Nather) (02/04/85)

> 	I agree in principle, but where are we going to get another word?
> 				Sarima (Stanley Friesen)

Gad! Have we used them all up?

-- 
Ed Nather
Astronony Dept, U of Texas @ Austin
{allegra,ihnp4}!{noao,ut-sally}!utastro!nather

hsu@cvl.UUCP (Dave Hsu) (02/04/85)

>      Some Hungarian friends of mine tell me that in the Hungarian language
>there are two words for "love":one for familial or platonic love, and one for
>sexual love
>      I think that this lack of distinction in English has probably screwed up
>more people that the he/she problem.

On behalf of certain Hungarians at this site who don't read the news, I
have been delegated to ask:  What are these two words to which you refer?
-- 

=Dave Hsu=    "Aaack...no flames!"  (301) 454-4526
ARPA: hsu@cvl  CSNET: hsu@cvl  UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!hsu
Snail Mail: Center for Automation Research Computer Vision Lab
            University of Maryland
            College Park, MD 20742
(Disclaimer:  Somebody may or may not refuse responsibility for anything herein.
 Most everything is a trademark or service mark of somebody, maybe somebody else)

zubbie@wlcrjs.UUCP (Jeanette Zobjeck) (02/09/85)

I think language has a lot to do withthe behavioral development of
society and the people as individuals.
I do not think having to words for love would really help, not because
the idea has no value but because the problem of defining what goes
into each catagory might create more trouble than was originally in place.
I refer those who might disagree with me on this to the trouble we here
are having defing the differences, and/or requirements for determining
them, between erotica and pornigraphy.

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From the mostly vacant environment of  Jeanette L. Zobjeck (ihnp4!wlcrjs!zubbie)

All opinions expressed may not even be my own.
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