[Lexicog] Re: Figurative expressions for "courage" in different language

[David Tuggy]

In Nahuatl the words for "hard-harted" (yolchikawak, yolchikaktik, some
place yolkuahtik) oscillate between meaning "courageous, steadfast" and
meaning "stubborn, unresponsive, hardhearted". In some variants
(languages) one form means one thing and another form the other, fairly
often the same form has both kinds of meanings and only context lets you
know which is which. Contexts where confusion is possible are not all
that uncommon. Similarly, "soft-hearted" can mean "sensitive,
responsive, soft-hearted, gentle" or "cowardly, wimpish".

I don't know whether to think of these meanings as (in origin) semantic
extensions from each other, or as potentially independent
interpretations of "hard" as a figure for a psychological quality. I
tend to think both. From the point of view of those admiring the stand a
person takes against pressure, the person is being courageous, but from
the point of view of those who think he should abandon that stand and
are trying to persuade him to do so, he is being stubborn and
hard-hearted. (Or she, of course.)

The word chutzpah was mentioned in the beginning of this thread. I
believe I was told it involves reference to the testicles ( -->
manliness), and that it is therefore considered vulgar by many Yiddish
speakers. As has been pointed out, other languages express courage via
similar reference, including English (have the balls to do X). For both
chutzpah and balls, I have the notion that more than courage is implied:
a measure of "gall" mixed with the "guts".

--David Tuggy

Peter Kirk wrote:

> On 19/02/2005 12:14, Fritz Goerling wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the information, Kees,
> >
> > I assume you are Dutch. Where does the expression "Dutch courage"
> > come from? :-)
> >
> I wouldn't expect Kees to answer this one as it sounds rather insulting.
> My guess would be that it is a reference to the drinking and brawling
> habits of Dutch sailors in England.
>
> One Azerbaijani expression for "coward" also means "lung". Well, perhaps
> not quite. The word "ciyer" can mean either "lung" or "liver", and they
> are distinguished if necessary as white ciyer = lung, black ciyer =
> liver. But white-ciyer as one word (aghciyer)  means "coward" - but a
> better literal rendering would probably be "white-livered". And this can
> actually be used in English as well, although more common but with the
> same basic meaning is "lily-livered".
>
> A common figurative expression for "courage" in many languages
> corresponds to "manliness", whereas "woman", used of a man, implies
> cowardice. But I avoid such expressions because they are not
> surprisingly offensive to women.
>
> --
> Peter Kirk
> peter at qaya.org (personal)
> peterkirk at qaya.org (work)
> http://www.qaya.org/
>
>
>
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