![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Holding, Touching
10 Jan 2024 22:12Did some thinking on, like, the metaphors of language. Usually words for abstract things are related to words for concrete things. I realized that for a people that really isn't keen on cuddling or casual contact, Finnish has a bunch of touchy-feely words extended to abstract concepts.
Keitä tämä koskee? (Who does this concern?) koskea means touch. In Finnish, matters do not concern or affect you, they touch you.
Pidätkö minusta? (Do you like me?) pitää means like, but also to hold. Liking = holding.
Tunnetko heidät? (Do you know them?) In Finnish, if you know someone, you feel them. tuntea means to know someone, but also to feel a touch, feel an emotion. If you use the literal word for knowing, tietää, then you don't know someone, you know of them.
(Also, a bit of amusing parallel evolution, tietää comes from tie, road. Compare Chinese 知道 – 道 = tie.)
Keitä tämä koskee? (Who does this concern?) koskea means touch. In Finnish, matters do not concern or affect you, they touch you.
Pidätkö minusta? (Do you like me?) pitää means like, but also to hold. Liking = holding.
Tunnetko heidät? (Do you know them?) In Finnish, if you know someone, you feel them. tuntea means to know someone, but also to feel a touch, feel an emotion. If you use the literal word for knowing, tietää, then you don't know someone, you know of them.
(Also, a bit of amusing parallel evolution, tietää comes from tie, road. Compare Chinese 知道 – 道 = tie.)