22 March - World Water Day 2006: Water and Culture
 |
Water words in Africa
|
There are over 6,000 languages in the world, 96% of which are spoken by 4% of the global population. One language disappears on average every two weeks. Water is one thing that people all over need in order to live happy, healthy lives, and its omnipresence in the world's languages testifies to this. Not only does every language have a word for water, but it also appears in hundreds of proverbs, metaphors and symbols, throughout the world. The use of the word 'water' in language shows the enormous breadth of ideas associated with the resource throughout the world and the even larger variety of ways in which water is valued in different cultures and civilizations.
Water proverbs
Proverbs are short sayings that convey traditional wisdom, sometimes making important aspects of life easy to remember. They are especially interesting in a cultural context, since proverbs are particular to each civilization's way of life: geographical location, economic status, climate, demographic information, population, gender differences, etc. all work towards forming the culture's worldview, shaping a country's language and proverbs. Water proverbs show us how water is valued in a specific country - in arid lands, for example, water proverbs tend to focus on the importance of water as a limited and precious resource.
Water metaphors
 |
Water words in Asia and the Pacific
|
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is called another which it resembles in some significant way. As a universally known and essential element, water is often used in metaphors represent something else. One example of water being used as a literal mirror with a metaphorical purpose is the Greek myth of Narcissus, who was so in love with his own reflection that while admiring himself in the river, he fell into the water and drowned.
In the expression, 'hope springs eternal', hope is likened to an unstoppable geyser of water. Versions of these metaphors of water as a particular virtue exist in many different cultures: Chinese Buddhism, for instance, uses water and waves to represent the unconscious, faith and truth.
|
UNESCO.ORG
