Photo by Elizabeth Halt
Photo by Elizabeth Halt

still snow, remembered snow, deep fried snow

February 28, 2014

elizabethhalt.com | still snow, remembered snow, deep fried snow

{this photo makes me so happy, even though i don’t know why.}

i stumbled upon a list of inuit words for snow.

the words have meanings like this:

still snow, remembered snow, our children’s snow;
snow that falls in large wet flakes, snow that falls slowly, snow in beards;
blowing snow, baked snow, deep fried snow;
snow at dawn, snow that never reaches the ground, snow that has drifted indoors;
the idea of snow, the snows of yesteryear, quickly accumulating snow;
snow that blinds you, snow that hides the whole village, snow mixed with breath;
partially melted snow, good building snow, blowing snow;
snow sparkling with starlight, snow melting in the spring rain, snow that has been marked by wolves.

snow in the mouth,
snow in the south.

snow, snow, snow.

with that, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

i will never look at snow in the same way.

there, in the words, lies wonder + magic.

1 comment... (add a comment)

  1. i have always heard they had many words for snow.
    i never dreamed of the descriptions it that way.
    it’s like the most beautiful poetry!
    thank you so much for this.
    … snow that has been marked by wolves…
    such images.
    oh my.

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