i have a question

[Barone1551]

Originally Posted by komitsuki

Then you have a language called Piraha, which is so different that importing foreign (loaned) concepts is always a huge hassle, thus impossible.

Pirahã language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1. no numbers
2. very simplified kinship term(s)
3. no abstract color terms

This is the best and the rarest example how language completely constrains a culture, lifestyle, and make it impossible to understand loanwords.

I did some research on this tribe for a paper, very interesting language anomalies actually. There are some other tribes with similar language differences. Fascinating stuff if you really dig deep into it.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

You would think, but you'd be wrong in a few instances. The fact that Japanese has お茶 instead of ご茶 shows that they've forgotten that 茶 comes from Chinese.

Languages are not math and are not logical. They are living organisms, really.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by MMM

Languages are not math and are not logical. They are living organisms, really.

Oh no, I agree 100%. My point is that the お rather than ご is evidence that 茶 is not thought of as a Chinese-derived word. The very fact that it is not thought of as such is proof that languages are not logical (because it is, in fact, Chinese-derived).

[komitsuki]

Originally Posted by MMM

Languages are not math and are not logical. They are living organisms, really.

(Sorry for being off-topic but this must be corrected.)

Slightly wrong. Just slightly. Human language is organic under the foundation that basic logic is not discouraged. The reason why we can make sentences that make sense is because of respecting basic logic embedded in our ways of using words.