Politeness and respect: view article

The Nolwynn people are very concerned with being polite - at least to others of their tribe. Being rude is an affront to the Corporeal Value of Uakwuo [unity and family], a core value in their teachings. Unity within the family, clan, and tribe is extremely important. Just about any other rule or value can be violated if it maintains unity. In addition, they are very concerned with maintaining their self-image within their clan. The result is a society that values obeying the rules, being polite, and helping others.

[edit] [top]How to be polite

Being polite amongst the Nolwynn entails a few things:

1. Using the Avoidance Language when necessary.

Using the Avoidance Language is an absolute necessity to being accepted within Nolwynn society. If you come across a Nolwynn tribe and wish to speak with them, every other aspect of politeness can be ignored.

2. Being indirect
When using certain verbs to talk about someone, separation is required. For example, consider these two examples:

orika zwoleeywe
ɵrɪkɑ zwɵlɛ:we
tree see<ERGErgative (case)
TRANS subject; agent>.1SFirst person singular (person)
speaker, signer, etc.; I
I see a tree.

Kxalina luka zwoleeywe
kʼɑlɪnɑ lʉkɑ zwɵlɛ:we
Kxalina concerning see<ERGErgative (case)
TRANS subject; agent>.1SFirst person singular (person)
speaker, signer, etc.; I
I see Kxalina.

In the example involving a person, the preposition luka["in regards to" or "concerning"] is necessary. Use luka to separate animate subjects from active verbs where the subject is not tangibly impacted.

3. Refering to people you don't know very well with honorifics.

Honorifics are used frequently in Nolwynn culture - among friends, family, and strangers. They reflect things that you value about the other person. When used among strangers it is a vital aspect of being polite, but when used among close friends, then it is simply a way of expressing appreciation and affection. You can learn more about honorifics here .

4. Softening requests

Use the interrogative mood to frame commands as questions. You can also soften your speech by using the optative or hypothetical mood, which makes you seem very polite and formal. See this article for more about Nolwynn's grammatical moods.

5. Never uttering someone's moon name.

Never use anyone's moon name , if somehow you know it. In fact, if you do know someone else's moon name, you are required to pretend as if you do not. Not even the clan's góleka ["shaman"] is permitted to use someone's moon name. It is a strictly-guarded secret that is intended to protect the individual from obscene magical forces.

6. Using euphemisms

The Nolwynn are notorious for using euphemisms to speak in a roundabout way, especially when discussing sensitive or potentially embarrassing topics, or when in the company of a magic user. They tend to err on the side of caution and use the Avoidance Language and other methods, which can make their speech seem impenetrable to the untrained ear.

Other aspects of being polite include body language, saying greetings, and making small talk. Using approbation [praise] to avoid disagreement or conflict and to show solidarity with others ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article

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