The Dutch for king is still "koning", it's just that when you apply the diminutive the GJ cluster becomes devoiced (i.e. becomes KJ). So king is koning, but little king (or kinglet if you prefer and english example of a diminutive) is koninkje. The J is a palatal glide by the way, i.e. a Y sound as it is in German, so KJE sounds a bit like "queue" in english (the word-final E becomes unstressed much the same as it does in German and so has a sort of "uh" sound).
I don't really know Dutch, much as I'd like to, I only know the pronunciation and a few phrases. I picked it up from a girlfriend of mine whose parents were from the Netherlands and who was raised both there and in the States (and Mozambique). One of these days I might take the time to learn more, though there are countless languages I'd like to learn and, alas, so far I haven't found an excuse that would let me use my knowledge of Dutch. Also, for what it's worth, I'm a linguist so I tend to pick up bits of languages whenever I encounter them.
As for Romeo & Juliet, I would say that they are more of an example of suicide than of euthanasia. And while theirs is certainly for a dramatic flare, after living with severe clinical depression and having many friends with the same or similar conditions, I firmly believe that those who have not suffered from those conditions are unequipped to fairly judge the "potential joy" in one's life vs the suffering they must endure to reap that benefit.
Insofar as longevity is concerned, I do not believe that one should live as long as there is potential for happiness, but rather that one should live so long as their quality of life is sufficient. To hold onto the chance for some tiny bit of joy through the path of great suffering indicates to me a shortsightedness and— perhaps fear of death isn't quite the right term, but something very similar to it. I believe that life is sacred, however I do not believe that it is the most sacred thing and must be sought at the expense of all else. In fact, I believe that such a thing actually desecrates the sanctity of life.
Certainly for issues of the more common and transient variety of depression suicide is often the result of premature judgement, but there's a major difference between the depression caused by the loss of a loved one or similar, and the depression that results from brain chemistry that one must contend with for the whole of their life because there is no cure.
Which, somewhat ironically, brings us pack to some of xuenay's thoughts on transhumanism. Due to the links between various forms of mental disorders and intelligence and creativity I don't think it'd be prudent to simply eradicate the problem if/when we have the capability to do so, however it would be nice to have options for controlling the disorders that do not resort to the shotgun approach that's currently used in psychopharmacology.
While Buddhism does consider harming any living creature a sin, many Buddhists I've met both understand and sympathize with suicide. While they believe that if one commits suicide it indicates a lack of enlightenment and will result in the individual going through the cycle of reincarnation (perhaps for a very long time), at the same time Buddhism teaches compassion for all suffering and many take that to mean that while suicide leads to suffering (for loved ones and because of reincarnation) sometimes it is less suffering than one would have had, had they not done so. Fallibility is not a sin, it is just saddeningly human.
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chiming
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Date: 2006-07-25 11:28 pm (UTC)From:I don't really know Dutch, much as I'd like to, I only know the pronunciation and a few phrases. I picked it up from a girlfriend of mine whose parents were from the Netherlands and who was raised both there and in the States (and Mozambique). One of these days I might take the time to learn more, though there are countless languages I'd like to learn and, alas, so far I haven't found an excuse that would let me use my knowledge of Dutch. Also, for what it's worth, I'm a linguist so I tend to pick up bits of languages whenever I encounter them.
As for Romeo & Juliet, I would say that they are more of an example of suicide than of euthanasia. And while theirs is certainly for a dramatic flare, after living with severe clinical depression and having many friends with the same or similar conditions, I firmly believe that those who have not suffered from those conditions are unequipped to fairly judge the "potential joy" in one's life vs the suffering they must endure to reap that benefit.
Insofar as longevity is concerned, I do not believe that one should live as long as there is potential for happiness, but rather that one should live so long as their quality of life is sufficient. To hold onto the chance for some tiny bit of joy through the path of great suffering indicates to me a shortsightedness and— perhaps fear of death isn't quite the right term, but something very similar to it. I believe that life is sacred, however I do not believe that it is the most sacred thing and must be sought at the expense of all else. In fact, I believe that such a thing actually desecrates the sanctity of life.
Certainly for issues of the more common and transient variety of depression suicide is often the result of premature judgement, but there's a major difference between the depression caused by the loss of a loved one or similar, and the depression that results from brain chemistry that one must contend with for the whole of their life because there is no cure.
Which, somewhat ironically, brings us pack to some of
While Buddhism does consider harming any living creature a sin, many Buddhists I've met both understand and sympathize with suicide. While they believe that if one commits suicide it indicates a lack of enlightenment and will result in the individual going through the cycle of reincarnation (perhaps for a very long time), at the same time Buddhism teaches compassion for all suffering and many take that to mean that while suicide leads to suffering (for loved ones and because of reincarnation) sometimes it is less suffering than one would have had, had they not done so. Fallibility is not a sin, it is just saddeningly human.