The Nature of Language

"Language is crucial to how we perceive the natural world. Help me to find better ways of describing nature and our relationships with it so we can better defend it." - George Monbiot


George Monbiot feels ecologists should recruit poets, nature lovers, and cognitive linguists to find words for what they cherish.

He says, "If we called protected areas “places of natural wonder,” we would not only speak to people’s love of nature, but also establish an aspiration that conveys what they ought to be."

Monbiot wants to stop using the word environment, and use terms such as “living planet” and “natural world." He promotes word pictures of concepts and descriptions so we pay more attention to what we admire. He says, "We are blessed with a wealth of nature and a wealth of language. Let us bring them together and use one to defend the other." 

Robert Macfarlane's Landmarks, described as, "a celebration and defense of the language of landscape," enriches our ways of seeing. To know the words 'currel' (an East Anglian term for a small stream), or 'drindle' (a diminutive run of water, smaller than a currel), Macfarlane moves us into a new relationship with the natural world.

He explains that using descriptive words makes us more perceptive, more attentive. Then we develop the vision to care for rivers, bison, and the windy uplands where our rare birds shelter.  Macfarlane points out, "'Smeuse' is a dialect noun for "Gap in the base of a hedge made by the regular passage of a small animal." He says, "Now I know the word I will notice these signs of creaturely movement more often."

A combination of optimism and realistic thinking helps us navigate through life.

Realistic thinking reveals a way of supporting optimism with the action needed to create a positive future.




When you happen upon words that send negative images. Start thinking of a positive idea and find another word to replace the negative.

The next time you hear the word 'climate change,' discover a metaphor to describe it. Rather than considering it as a break down find ways to see it as a evolution. In what ways will human creativity assist the earth to a new level of development? 

When you approach negative words, turn them around. Use sounds and keep going.

Push hate into interrogate and stipulate, then funambulate.

Never flows into whenever and forever to fine.

War shoots into stars and wonder.

View a mess as a melody and sing.

When a word that causes anger or frustration appears, search for the first positive word that you can think of and continue.

Chuckle and push your imagination to its limitless possibilities.