other question #842

Marsha Anisoquili (Many Ponies) Raymond, a 49 year old female from St. Petersburg, FL, USA asks on June 26, 2002,

Q:

If oriental is eastern and occidental is western, what is northern and southern?
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the answer

Jon Steeves answered on June 27, 2002, A:

Northern = Boreal (def: Of or relating to the north; northern)

Southern = Austral (def: Of, relating to, or coming from the south)

These are about as close as you can get in form and meaning, but they don't carry the same powerful connotations that the other two do: i.e., different types of civilation and culture. I think this may be due to two things:

1. All the words are derived from European languages; hence reflect a Eurocentric perception.

2. For Europeans the most important historical patterns have been east-west, not north-south.

However, this is conjecture, not science.

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