Kimmerer's Essay 'Learning The Grammar Of Animacy'

Learning others’ languages and becoming one with nature could bring us together. I believe it is important that we as a society acknowledge native languages; the native dialect is more important than people think. For native tribes, language is everything to them. It’s a way of communication, and a huge part of their culture. Without it, future generations will lose connectivity to their ancestors. Also, without language the tribes would not be recognized in the eyes of the US government, because language is an essential part in the federal recognition process for a tribe. So, without a language a tribe would not have a reservation or government support. I have learned this from being Native to a federally recognized tribe; I know how important …show more content…
Immigrants came to these shores bearing a legacy of languages, all to be cherished. But to become native to this place, if we are to survive here, and our neighbors too, our work is to learn to speak the grammar of Animacy, so that we might truly be at home.” what I think she means by the grammar of Animacy is that English is not the only important language like some people may think. Native languages have a connection with nature one that English cannot comprehend; the languages give us better insight into sciences because they have descriptive words that English language doesn’t have. We as Americans need to work together with the Natives to preserve their languages so we don’t lose the descriptive power of the languages. If the language of science and the native languages worked together their descriptive power would be marvelous. Kimmerer explains that when she first began learning part of the language she heard the word Puhpowee which means “The force which causes mushrooms to push up from the earth overnight.” that modern science has no word for this