The difference is how words are formed. By the way, Eskimo isn't even a single language. That's like referring to European as a language. Anyway so many Eskimo languages form words by squishing the words together similar to how the Germans do it. In fact they could potentially have fifty words for hot dog, e.g., bighotdog, grosshotdog.
So it would be like if in English we said heavysnow instead of heavy snow. Big whoop right? Anyway so I did a little research and found over fifty words for snow in English. I guess we're just as obsessed with snow as the Eskimoses.
Some are of meteorological origin, some come from winter sport enthusiasts, etc.
Snow
BlizzardSnowdrift
Snow bank
Snowman
Snowball
Snowflake
Snowstorm
Snowfall
Avalanche
Powder
Whiteout
Snowsquall
Flurry
Thundersnow
Artificial snow
Graupel
Snow pellets
Dendrites
Sleet
Columns
Lake-effect snow
Blowing snow
Chopped powder
Ground blizzard
Crud
Crust
Zipper
Snowpack
Depth hoar
Finger drift
Firn
Slush
Penitentes
Hoar frost
Needles
Rimed snow
Champagne powder
Chowder
Cornice
Ego snow
Freshies
Goods
Piste
Snowcastle
Snow fort
Snow sculpture
Zastruga
Snow cave
Mogul
Windblown
There are more but I think you get the idea.
Who knew English speakers are so into snow?
ReplyDeleteWait, was that the wrong moral?
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm just not into snow enough, but I have never heard graupel, nor of zastruga, piste, ego snow, penitentes, dendrites, among others. (And apparently spellcheck hasn't either).
ReplyDeleteI've heard of graupel! And dendrites are also things in the brain. They receive information from other neurons.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that your spell checker didn't correct spellcheck.
ReplyDeleteIn the words of my sister-in-law, why do you have to make such smarta-- comments??
ReplyDeleteLike I always say when people call me a smarta: better to be a smarta- than a dumba.
ReplyDelete