Children in the Hippogriff culture learn language from our elders. As Hippogriff children grow up they listen to stories told by elders and the elder teach the children our language along the way. When they first start learning the language some of the words are hard to pronounce correctly because their beaks ae not fully developed. As they age it become easier and easier for them to speak longer more complicated words. As well as learning to speak our native language our children learn to write and read it at the same time. This usually begin around a year after birth when they first show the ability to learn more about our language.
In the very beginnings of the Hippogriff culture our ancestors noticed that the native language we were speaking was hard to write down because our talons make our ranges of characters difficult to draw. They then came up with a special system to help modify our language to an easier sense of writing down the characters. Other changes have occurred throughout the centuries we have had to create new words for things after droughts and floods occurred in our forest. Also when we discover a new creature in the forest we create a new word to call them. Our language has also become more modern because as other creatures in the forest develop and modernized our language was forced to do the same.
My language reflects mood by the change in tone but also by the change in writing. If a Hippogriff writes a letter and the characters are written sharper and maybe a touch sloppier that is supposed to show anger or that that Hippogriff is upset with you. We have words in my culture that describe emotion but they are only used in times of great importance because Hippogriffs focus more on survival and the well being of the herd not individual needs or feelings. Our language tends to focus on our laws put there by the elders of the herd. We must keep traditions and do as the elder tell us to. In my culture it is normal to paw the ground and snort as a way of protecting one's territory, this is our only form of nonverbal communication. In the Hippogriff culture eye contact is very important. It shows that you are engaged and interested and it also is an indication that each individual in the herd is equal; that no one thinks they are better than anyone else.
As teenagers in my culture become fluent in the Hippogriff language they begin to make up slang term to shorten words and to keep the elders and other adults from understanding. Some examples of the slang is: ee which is slang for tree, uit which is slang for fruit, and od which is slang for food. This shows that as the Hippogriff culture grows the future generations want to shorten words to make conversation faster. When greeting someone in my culture you use terms such as, "good to see you", "I hope you are well", and "hope life is being kind to you". Hippogriffs greet others this way because we care about each others well being. we always want to make sure that our herd is safe and well and want to help if they aren't. When Hippogriffs want to have fun we participate in a game called flying ball. This is a fun game that requires two teams to fly around in the sky trying to score points on either side of the marked off areas with a ball. Everyone in my herd participates even the elders.
Some examples of semantic domains in my culture are animals: squirrel, bird, lizard, insect, rat: scenery: tree, leaf, river, sky, cloud: food: rats, mice, leaves, birds, water: home: forest, tree line, cave, outcropping: furniture: rocks, trees, bushes. These domains demonstrate our way of living. In my culture we do not distinguish between race in our language only between male and female. Our language has different words for men and woman and men are also help to higher standard in our tribe just like the elders. My culture also doesn't distinguish between rich or poor because we all try to live equally.
In the Hippogriff language we have words for things that are commonly used or seen in the forest. If we do not use or see something on a daily basis then we most likely do not have a word for it and will defiantly not use it in an everyday conversation. When it comes to food ours sources range between small animals and some plants so in our language the same word we use to point out a food source are used to describe animals and plants in the forest. Some examples of metaphorical concepts in my language are, "that rat won't eat itself", "time is living", "live for the past", "time is flying", "knowledge is power".
This project has expanded my understanding of the relationship between language and culture. I know understand that if a culture changes or shifts then the language will be changed as well. Now I know that culture and language are one in the same.
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