Subject: Re: Stop Farming Now, please

From: FionaNyx <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 13:43:30 EDT

I trained as a psycholinguist and I understand that language shapes thought.
Even so, I often feel that the dictatorial approach to changing thought by
changing language ("Thou shalt no longer say...") can be counter- productive.
Adding terms or shifting to preferred terms can be accomplished without
rebuking others who speak differently.  Who are we to take words from others
just because we have come up with a rationale to justify it?  

My grandfather was both a laborer and a farmer all his life and he is proud to
be a FARMER.  For him, farming meant caring for his crops and animals,
learning the land and maintaining it.  While he used many techniques we
permaculturists would not, he sought the best techniques available given his
knowledge.

For one thing, language evolves.  Words cannot be summarized by their roots.
They drift away from them according to the usage of the time.  So, if we do
choose to speak differently about ourselves, I hope we can trust this process
to handle the diffusion of the usage.  

I prefer to think of myself as a gardener.  Garden from Old French jardin and
Old English geard  (whence garth and yard come)--  a highly cultivated area
that was, traditionally, enclosed (guarded or girdled).  To me, it's not just
growing things, but creating a place (designing interaction with the evirons)
which is important to permaculture work.

I'm in the suburbs though, in a more rural setting perhaps agrarian or
agricola would be a good option:  

>From a Latin dictionary at http://patriot.net/~mccand/chp/latdict.a.html:

agrarius -a -um, relating to land; m. pl. as subst. the agrarian party, 
aiming at a general distribution of land.

agrestis -e, belonging to the field or country; wild, rustic; hence, 
countrified, boorish, clownish. M. as subst. agrestis -is, a countryman.

agricola -ae, m. farmer.

Semiotically yours,
~~Sherry

---

From: "Art Collings" <[email-masked]>
Date: 5 Apr 98 19:54:32 -0500

>The word "Farm" has as it's root <firme> which means a financial 
>payment, contract, or rent for the use of land.

My dictionary, while indicating the french and middle english roots have
this financial meaning, also indicates the original latin means to make
firm.

>Its meaning implies absentee "ownership" and has nothing to do with 
>healthy food, community, or environment. By using the words "farmer" or 
>"farming" we maintain and strengthen a relationship paradigm 
>incompatible with optimal wellness.
>
>I recommend using words such as "grower" instead of farmer, and letting 
>others know how important this word-knowledge can be.
>

Whmm. And what do you recommend calling someone who raises cattle, sheep,
or ducks?

Art

---

From: "Michael Miller & Ute Bohnsack" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 11:54:27 +0100

[big snip]
: >I recommend using words such as "grower" instead of farmer, and letting 
: >others know how important this word-knowledge can be.
: >
: 
: Whmm. And what do you recommend calling someone who raises cattle, sheep,
: or ducks?
: 
: 
: Art
: 
A husband.

Just kidding.
UteB