Re: Biblical garden---paliurus spina christi

From:          DLind33333@aol.com
Date:          Mon, 15 Feb 1999 19:22:25 EST
To:            Rachel@haasjr.org, medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
Subject:       Re: Biblical garden---paliurus spina christi
Reply-to:      DLind33333@aol.com


In a message dated 2/11/99 12:22:49 PM, Rachel@haasjr.org wrote:

>At the risk of incurring others' displeasure I would like to register 
>some distaste for the description of Paliurus Spina Cristi seed pods 
>as Chinese "coolee" shaped.  
>
>First, I cannot imagine what that would mean. Second, "coolie" is a 
>rather derogatory historical term applied to Asian workers, mostly Chinese,
inthe U.S.  I, personally, don't feel comfortable using the term, 
but perhaps it does not have the same connotations in othercountries. 
> >I don't mean to attack the person who used it, but simply to 
question >whether it's a descriptor we want to keep in currency in 
this day and >age.     
>
>Rachel Baker
>Berkeley, Ca.

As an author, and as the perpetrator of description which some 
found distasteful I have decided, after some thought, that it is 
worthwhile defending my usage of the English language. The word 
'coolee'. 'kuli', 'coolie', 'koli' and other similar phonetic 
approximations is a word taken into the English language about 1598 
(first recorded use in print) and is derived from a Kujzerat (in 
India) word which means 'hired labourer' or 'farm labourer.' In 
itself it is a perfectly good, useful and accurate word that makes 
the English language richer for being adopted from another language. 
It is by no means derogatory, racist or distasteful. Insofar as my 
use goes (despite my omitting to add the necessary noun - hat) it is 
a well understood descriptor of a conical hat woven from plant fibres 
that is common outdoor headwear, with minor variations, in many Asian 
nations. My reference to the shape is apt and in no way racist. There 
are many words that i could have chosen (many invented by US GI's in 
the Vietnam war that are very definitely distatsteful - to say the 
least; gook, chink, slope, geek etc.) However these are offensive 
personal references, not inoffensive object references. Our language 
is wonderfully rich, varied and subtle and I always use it with greta 
care and, I hope, precision. Political correctness doesn't come into 
it as far as I am concerened. My intention was pretty clear, even 
according to Webster's (US) Dictionary, and could not be misconstrued 
but by a super-sensitive cultural association in the minds of some 
influenced by the forces of censorship which foster reinventing the 
language (and history) to suit the political aims of self interested 
pressure groups. These groups can only lay claim to the language if 
we let them. 
Let us try to keep our focus on Mediterranean plants and not on the 
misconceptions which will separate us - if we let them.

tjn


-----------------
Trevor Nottle
Garden Writer, Historian,     
Lecturer and Comsultant 
       
    'Walnut Hill'                          
     5 Walker St       
     Crafers SA 5152 
     AUSTRALIA

Phone: +618 83394210
Fax:   +618 83394210
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