Monday, February 16, 2009

Diction old and coined

"And the race knew only one sure way for this--the ancient way, the tried and certain way that rolled over everything in its path: jihad."

Herbert created a glossary of coined terms for his novel Dune, yet in the above quote he used an actual Arab word "jihad." Is this significant? What could be implied?

4 comments:

  1. The Fremen Religious war? I believe Herbert wanted that, if anything, to really stick to the reader. He wanted his audience to know the significance of the Fremen belief and to what extent they intended to go to. Using another coined word there might diminish the effect Herbert wanted to give due to misunderstanding or underexaggeration. I believe using the common word, which is often associated with war/violence.

    Also, Lisan, the Prophesized name that Paul Atreides eventually accepts (Lisan Al'Gaib), is also an Arabic word, Tongue. I want to know is why was That name chosen for their 'God-like' figure?

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  2. I think using it is significant.Jihad literaly means a "holy war."This is exactly what is going on in the book. The two reigning religions of arrakis are not at an actual phisical war,but by using the word jihad,it could be a forshadowing of what will or might happen on arrakis.

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  3. I see the war Literally happening in the Book. Fremen and the Remaining Atreides House against the Padishah Emperor, House Harkonnen, and the CHOAM.

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  4. I think that the word was chosen not only because of its literal meaning but because of the vast similarities of the situations. The climate of Arrakis seems similar to an arab climate, both are willing to wage wars over their religious beliefs, and both have something that the people they are fighting need(oil or spice). With that considered perhaps Herbert was trying to give us something that we could compare to our everyday life and therefore better understand what was happening in the book.

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