Medicine

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Klassen
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Religion And Ecology ◽  
Creation Care ◽  
Nature Religion ◽  
Raymond Williams ◽  
Cultural Historian ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Earth Charter

‘Nature,’ as cultural historian Raymond Williams asserted, is one of the most complex words in the English language. Just as its meanings have varied considerably over time, relations between religion belief/practice and the natural world have varied historically, geographically, and across multiple cultural contexts. ‘Nature’ and ‘religion’ have been co-articulated in different ways, and different interests and issues have been at stake in these changing constructions. Tropes of nature and the natural occur across a range of contexts: in Western study of non-Western religions, distinctions between ‘transcendent’ and ‘immanent’ cosmologies, and scholarly discourses of ‘religion and ecology,’ ‘nature religion,’ and debates over the ‘Lynn White thesis’; and in a series of popular religio-environmental developments including concepts and practices of Creation Care, eco-kosher livelihoods, sacred groves, the Green Pilgrims Cities network, the Earth Charter, and eco-paganism.

Nature and Religion in America

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Grainger
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Early Modern ◽  
English Language ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
North American Continent ◽  
The North ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Complex Words

One of the most complex words in the English language, “nature” (sometimes personified as “Nature” or “Mother Nature”) has been central to developments in American religions. Despite their different origins, the three cosmologies present on the North American continent during the early modern “age of contact”—Native American, African American, and Euro-American—shared a number of similarities, including the belief in an enchanted or animate cosmos, the ambivalence of sacred presences manifested in nature, and the use of myth and ritual to manage these ambivalent presences in ways that secured material and spiritual benefits for individuals or communities. Through encounters on colonial borderlands and through developments in society and culture (in science, economics, politics, etc.), these cosmologies have been adapted, developed, and combined in creative ways to produce new forms of religious life. These developments have been characterized by a series of recurrent tensions, including the notion of divine or spiritual realities as being transcendent or immanent, organicism or mechanism, and of the natural world as including or excluding human beings. Organicist and animist cosmologies, severely challenged by the early modern scientific revolution, were resurgent in the antebellum period, fueling a series of new religious developments, from Transcendentalism and revivalism to Mormonism and the early environmentalist movement. These generative tensions continue to reverberate into the modern day, in part as an outworking of the environmental crisis of the 1960s, which saw a purported “greening” of established religions as well as the rise of new forms of nature spirituality.

Natural Space and Religion in North America

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Witt
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
American History ◽  
English Language ◽  
American Identity ◽  
Early 21St Century ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Religious Significance ◽  
Raymond Williams ◽  
European Colonialism ◽  
Complex Words

Raymond Williams once noted that “nature” remains one of the most complex words in the English language. While “nature” may commonly refer to nonhuman places, or spaces largely outside of human control, it is also frequently a culturally defined and value-laden term. The meaning, status, and significance of “natural” space has been a highly contested and fluid topic throughout North American history, and religions have been deeply engaged in that process. Religious perceptions of natural space have shifted over time, and as these perceptions have shifted, so too have environmental practices, attitudes, and senses of American identity. The availability of seemingly unaltered, human-free, natural space distant from seats of political control in Europe drew many of the earliest European migrants to the continent in the 16th and 17th centuries. Similar motivations pushed early pioneers westward into the vast spaces beyond the Appalachian Mountains in later decades. For some early Protestant immigrants to the colonies, the taming of wilderness and transformation of natural space into human-managed space situated within political and cultural boundaries presented a clear religious mission. For the original inhabitants of the continent, however, such visions of the redemption of society through the subjugation of nature were largely unfamiliar. These indigenous peoples often viewed themselves as integrated into a relational network of places, other beings, spirits, and histories, managing their use of resources with respect for reciprocal obligations. Different attitudes toward and definitions of natural space contributed to many of the ongoing tensions between these original inhabitants and newer European colonists. While pioneers of the early centuries of European colonialism in North America sought to conquer and subdue nature, their descendants, noting an increased scarcity of open and undeveloped land, began revering nature and the wild for its spiritual, aesthetic, and moral significance. Through the 19th and 20th centuries, influential figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and John Muir presented alternative religious visions of American natural space as morally purifying, worthy of protection, and even sacred. These attitudes influenced the growing popularity of outdoor adventure sports and environmental advocacy. Rather than a space defined as oppositional to civilized society in need of subjugation by human hands, by the early 20th-century natural space had taken new religious significance as a forge for American identity and a necessary cure for the spiritual and moral ills of society. By the early 21st century, however, this celebration of nature, and particularly wilderness, in the American experience was increasingly critiqued by scholars and members of marginalized communities that had been excluded from earlier studies of American history. The meaning and religious significance of natural space was undergoing another major revision. Natural space has remained an important but ambivalent fixture in U.S. history, reminding Americans of their hopes and potential, while also reflecting traumatic histories of violence and oppression. Through its shifting meanings and significance, natural space has played a central and ongoing role in shaping American religious identities.

When George met Bill: Orwell, Empson, and the Language of Propaganda

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Stefan Collini
Keyword(s):  
Critical Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second World War ◽  
George Orwell ◽  
Fake News ◽  
World War ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Basic English ◽  
Second World

George Orwell and William Empson worked closely together at the BBC during the Second World War and they remained friends thereafter. In The Structure of Complex Words (1951) Empson paid surprisingly serious attention to the view of language expounded in Nineteen Eighty-Four, seeing in Orwell's presentation of the meaningless slogans of totalitarianism, such as “War Is Peace,” a challenge to his own more rationalistic analysis of how language works. This article first explores the development of Orwell's thinking about language, including his engagement with Basic English (which Empson helped to propagate); a particularly close, and critical, analysis is given of his celebrated essay “Politics and the English Language.” Orwell's views are then contrasted with Empson's unpacking of the interplay of multiple senses within individual words, demonstrating that even the most extreme propaganda statements need to draw upon and respect the mechanics of meaning as embodied in such words if they are to be persuasive. Intellectual historians have much to learn from these exchanges, as do contemporary analysts of “fake news” and authoritarian bombast more generally.

scholarly journals “A Fourfold Vision: Nature Religion and the Wages of Scientism in Ursula K. Le Guin’s ‘Newton’s Sleep’”

Religions ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
Catherine Newell
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Religious Intolerance ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Contemporary Science ◽  
Nature Religion ◽  
Near Future

Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1991 short story ‘Newton’s Sleep’ begins in a utopic society that escaped the environmental and social calamity of a near-future Earth and created an enlightened culture on a space station. The group, led by a scientific elite, pride themselves on eradicating the irrational prejudices and unempirical mentality that hamstringed Earth; but chaos blossoms as the society struggles with the reappearance of religious intolerance, and becomes confused by an outbreak of mass hallucinations of the Earth they left behind. This narrative trope of the necessity of nature for the survival of humanity—physically, mentally, and spiritually—represents a new and relatively common allegory in contemporary science fiction in an era distinguished by separation from the natural world.

THE LIMITATIONS OF RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTALISM FOR INDIA

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Tomalin
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
Use Value ◽  
Aesthetic Value ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Nature Religion ◽  
Religious Systems

AbstractMany environmentalists draw upon religious teachings to argue that humanity ought to transform its relationship with the natural world. They maintain that religious systems teach that the earth is sacred and has an intrinsic value beyond its use value to humanity. However, whilst many cultures have religious practices or teachings associated with the natural world, such traditions of nature religion ought to be distinguished from religious environmentalism. This paper suggests that religious environmentalism is limited because it is a product of Western ideas about nature, in particular a 'romantic' vision of nature as a realm of purity and aesthetic value. Although in India, for example, people worship certain trees, this is not evidence of an inherent environmental awareness, if only because such practices are very ancient and pre-date concerns about a global environmental crisis. Moreover, many people in developing countries, such as India, are directly dependent upon the natural world and cannot afford radically to alter their behaviour towards nature to accommodate religious environmentalist goals.

scholarly journals Textbooks as Resources for Education for Sustainable Development: A Content Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-114
Author(s):  
Zhila Mohammadnia ◽  
Farzane Deliery Moghadam
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Action Program ◽  
Textbook Series ◽  
Global Action ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
Earth Charter

Abstract If we intend to successfully integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the general educational programs, it is important to utilize available methods and resources. This paper argues that English Language Learning textbooks in Iran have the potential to be useful resources and a viable springboard for the implementation of ESD. For this purpose, the present study explores the content of English textbook series developed by Iranian authors through the lenses of ESD. The framework for analysis was based on UNESCO’s Earth Charter and the Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Program on ESD. The findings reveal that the themes of sustainability are present in these English textbooks to a good extent. However, the results suggest that there must be a more even distribution of such themes throughout the series. Also, the role of the teacher as a facilitator in developing discussions around such themes is highlighted.

The Emerging Alliance of Religion and Ecology

1997 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Evelyn Tucker
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
Environmental Groups ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Religion And Ecology ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe role of the world's religions may be crucial in rethinking the relationship of humans to the natural world in a mutually enhancing manner. I first acknowledge, although briefly, the scale and complexity of the environmental crisis. Next, I suggest the need for seeking common grounds to work toward a resolution of the crisis. Then I highlight the call for the co-operation and action of the world's religions from particular sectors such as environmental groups, the United Nations, political leaders, scientists, and ethicists. Finally, I document some of the responses and the resources of the world's religions in evoking new attitudes toward nature.

scholarly journals The development of linguistic and cultural meanings of English colour lexis: dynamics and modern state

2021 ◽  
pp. 96-114
Author(s):  
Alesya A. Gorzhaya ◽  
Timerlan I. Usmanov
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Syntactic Structure ◽  
Literary Work ◽  
Natural World ◽  
The Other ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Cultural Meanings ◽  
Current State ◽  
Colour Terms ◽  
Explicit Comparison

The article is devoted to the study of the dynamics of development and the current state of linguacultural meanings in colour terms that are used in English-language women’s prose. In the course of the analysis of the theoretical and methodological material, it has been revealed that the colour terms in the literary text contribute to the fact that the descriptions and pictures drawn by its author are perceived as correctly as possible by the reader, and the latter more accurately perceives the sensations and emotions experienced by the characters at different moments of the story. During the analysis of the corpus of selected contexts (more than 700 fragments) with colour terms (500 units) from the works of fiction of modern women’s prose – criminal literature of the British writer Elizabeth Haynes – a number of features have been established. All the analyzed works are rich in the use of various colours, generally the main ones, and their shades, but there are also other colours. Thematic groups of colour terms include descriptions of the appearance of the main and secondary characters, everyday realia of the surrounding world, phenomena and objects of the natural world, and other abstract notions. Frequently occurring primary colour terms that do not have a transfer of meaning have been distinguished, and less frequent secondary colour terms with a transfer of meaning, and the secondary ones usually had a more complex morphological and syntactic structure. The selected colour terms that describe the appearance of the characters and have a transfer of meaning are divided into two groups, one of which includes colour terms with a metaphorical component, and the other contains colour terms that form transferred epithets. Within the framework of the description of natural phenomena and objects, the authors distinguish fully metaphorized colour terms, partially metaphorized colour terms that include a metaphorized component that does not extend its influence to the other structural elements of the colour term, as well as colour terms represented by an explicit comparison. In general, colour terms fill the work with a deep content, an additional meaning that the author lays down when writing a literary work.

scholarly journals CONVERSION AND COMPOUND MODELS OF RELIGIOUS VOCABULARY FORMATION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2021 ◽  
pp. 19-25
Author(s):  
Boichuk M.I.
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
Main Element ◽  
Compound Words ◽  
Part Of Speech ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Constituent Elements ◽  
The Relationship

The article outlines the concept of “conversion”, which is defined as an affixless, derivational way of word formation, in which a new word formed from another part of the language does not acquire an external word-forming rearrangement. The concept of “word formation” has also been analyzed and the phonetic component of compounds of religious vocabulary characterized. The structural classification has been distinguished taking into account the structure of compoundings. It has been found that among the layer of religious vocabulary derivational connections of conversion occur between two, three or more words, and the main ways of direction of this process have been identified. Five main models of conversion of lexical units of the religious sphere have been determined, such as: Noun – Verb, which further is divided into three categories, Verb – Noun, Adjective – Noun, Noun – Adjective, Adjective – Verb. The process of substantivization of religious vocabulary as a variant of conversion has also been analyzed. Under substantivization we understand the process of changing the paradigm of the basic word and a part of speech. Analysis of religious vocabulary shows that the transition is from adjectives to nouns, the first acquires the characteristic features of the latter.The article presents an analysis of religious vocabulary based on the dictionary of O. O. Azarov “Comprehensive English-Russian dictionary of religious terminology” which allows to identify such productive models of word formation of religious vocabulary in English: Noun + Noun, Noun + Participle, Adjective + Noun, Noun + Preposition + Noun, Participle + Noun, Pronoun + Noun, Adjective + Participle. These models are most actively involved in the creation of religious vocabulary in English, as they have the largest number of words in their structure. Compounds of religious lexis are divided into root compounds and compound derivatives, the structural integrity of which allows to distinguish them from phrases. Considering the components of compound words, the main element can be both the first and second part. According to the relationship between the components, compounds are divided into endocentric and exocentric types. The first is expressed by a compound word, the meaning of which is derived from the sum of the meanings of the compound’s components, the latter includes complex words, the meaning of which is not determined by any of its constituent elements. Among the layer of religious vocabulary of the English language we distinguish the following endocentric models: Adj + N = N, V + N = N, Part I + N = N, Ger + N = N, N + N = N and exocentric models: Participle + N = Adj, N+Pro.=Adj, V+Prep.=N, Adv+Participle=Adj.Key words:compounding, endocentric and exocentric compound words, substantivization, conversion. У статті обґрунтовано поняття «конверсія», яке визначається як безафіксальний, дериваційний спосіб словотвору, за якого нове слово, що утворюється з іншої частини мови, не набуває зовнішньої словотвірної перебудови. Також у роботі проаналізовано поняття «словоскладання», охарактеризовано фонетичний складник композитів релігійної лексики та виділено структурну класифікацію з урахуванням структури композитів складених слів. З’ясовано, що серед пласту релігійної лексики конверсивні дериваційні зв’язки відбуваються між двома, трьома та більшою кількістю слів, та визначено основні способи спрямованості цього процесу. Виділяємо п’ять основних моделей конверсії лексичних одиниць релігійної сфери: Noun – Verb, яка своєю чергою поділяється на три категорії, Verb – Noun, Adjective – Noun, Noun – Adjective, Adjective – Verb. Також проаналізовано процес субстантивації релігійної лексики як варіант конверсії. Під субстантивацією розуміємо процес зміни парадигми твірного слова й частини мови. Аналіз релігійної лексики показує, що перехід відбувається від прикметників у іменники, прикметник набуває характерних ознак іменника. У статті представлено аналіз релігійної лексики на основі словника О.О. Азарова «Большой англо-русский словарь религиозной лексики», який дає змогу виокремити такі продуктивні моделі словоскладання релігійної лексики в англійській мові: Noun + Noun, Noun + Participle, Adjective + Noun, Noun + Preposition + Noun, Participle + Noun, Pronoun + Noun, Adjective + Participle.Ці моделі беруть найактивнішу участь у творенні релігійної лексики в англійській мові, оскільки налічують найбільшу кількість слів у своїй структурі. Композити релігійної лексики поділяються на власне складні та склад-нопохідні, структурна цілісність яких дозволяє відмежувати їх від словосполучень. Щодо компонентів складних слів, то головним елементом може бути як перша, так і друга частина. Відповідно до відносин між компонентами складні слова поділяються на ендоцентричний та екзоцентричний типи. Перший виражається складним словом, значення якого виводиться із суми значень компонентів композита, до останнього відносяться складні слова, значення яких не визначається жодним із його складових елементів. Серед пласту релігійної лексики англійської мови виокремлюємо такі ендоцентричні моделі: Adj + N = N, V + N = N, Part I + N = N, Ger + N = N, N + N = N та екзоцентричні моделі: Participle + N = Adj, N+Pro.=Adj, V+Prep.=N, Adv+Participle=Adj.Ключові слова:словоскладання, ендоцентричні та екзоцентричні складні слова, субстантивація, конверсія.

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