Spammity Extra

[quinara]

Oh yeah, and what's the etiquette on commenting on poems people have shared just to share them? I keep having to scroll over this poem on my list where I'm sure the sentiment is very nice (other languages have words for sentiments we don't have, what does that mean, blah blah), but it chats about all these Sumerian tablets that were apparently business records, and what if they were poetry or psalms, and I keep getting this bitter taste in my mouth, because I'm almost certain the poet is talking about the Linear B tablets and apparently can't be bothered to work out the difference, and because frankly there is plenty of poetry and religious writing in Sumerian, thank you very much. I don't want to shoot the messenger, but I don't know what to say. I don't think the poem was posted with the intention of presenting it as blinkered anglophone wank, so it seems like it might be worth pointing out that that's how it comes across. And, and, and gumpity grump, the Sumerians and the Mycenaeans are not the same bloody people and it takes damned cheek to sideline all the thousands and thousands of people who used Sumerian for a massive rich multitude of purposes for some patronising bloody lament about what it would have been like if they'd done more with their language than count up sheep. Because they bloody did. Grump. Whinge.

Comments

[next_to_normal]

Hee! Well, I don't see what's wrong with (gently) pointing out your thoughts on it. It's possible the poster doesn't know much about the cultures being referenced and just liked the general theme. (The idea of using language to understand the values of a particular society is interesting to me, but probably more suited to a well-researched thesis than a poem that takes significant liberties with, y'know, facts.)

I mean, there's always the chance it'll be taken personally and seen as calling the poster xenophobic, but... eh. That's what the internet is for, isn't it? :-P

[quinara]

That's what the internet is for, isn't it? :-P

Hee! Alas, I really don't want to get into that sort of argument and have a feeling that's the way it would go - if only because communicating something negative is always hard when you've never spoken to someone before and you don't know each other's speech patterns. I may just have to walk on by and hope the poem doesn't start to haunt me or something...