{"id":1354,"date":"2022-07-20T13:52:18","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T13:52:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/morph.surrey.ac.uk\/?p=1354"},"modified":"2022-07-20T13:52:18","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T13:52:18","slug":"careful-who-you-climb-a-tree-near-respect-and-taboo-in-vanuatu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/morph.surrey.ac.uk\/index.php\/2022\/07\/20\/careful-who-you-climb-a-tree-near-respect-and-taboo-in-vanuatu\/","title":{"rendered":"Careful who you climb a tree near: Respect and taboo in Vanuatu"},"content":{"rendered":"

One humid afternoon, during breadfruit season in North Ambrym<\/a>, my language teacher, Isaiah, and I were on the lookout for some ripe breadfruit to roast for lunch. Our path led past his nephew, George\u2019s, house. Isaiah saw some ripe breadfruit in the tree next to where George was sitting on his veranda. Isaiah wanted to get the breadfruit, but said that because George was there, he couldn\u2019t, and we would have to find some others instead. I asked if it was George\u2019s breadfruit tree, and that\u2019s why he didn\u2019t want to take it when George was around. Isaiah said no; rather, the problem was if we went up the tree when George was underneath, then he would have to pay a small fine to George. Over a lunch of roasted and pounded breadfruit called wuwu<\/em>, Isaiah explained further. It was to do with respect and taboo.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Respect in language takes many forms. There is the tu\/vous<\/em> distinction in French, where tu<\/em> is the informal form of \u2018you (singular)\u2019 and is used with friends and those younger than you, whereas vous<\/em> \u2018you (plural)\u2019 is formal and is used with those elder or senior than you and for people you don\u2019t know. Similar distinctions are found with the German du\/Sie<\/em>. English doesn\u2019t have a grammatical distinction in politeness like this, but uses different sentence structures to express politeness: compare pass me the salt please<\/em> with could you please pass me the salt<\/em>, or the even more polite would you be so kind as to pass me the salt please<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s get back to eating that heavy sticky coconut-cream-slathered wuwu<\/em> with Isaiah. He told me that you must respect certain members of your extended family by showing physical politeness. Respect is translated as tengnean<\/em> in the language of North Ambrym. The people who you must respect are your taboo family, described by the verb gorrne<\/em>. Respect for your taboo family on Ambrym is realised in different ways \u2013 through physical restrictions and through language. The family members who command the most respect are your sister\u2019s son or your husband\u2019s brother.<\/p>\n

The physical restrictions with a taboo relative include:<\/p>\n