Earthquake Words/Erdbeben Wörter

Earthquakes make the earth move and earthquake words create motion (and perhaps commotion!) within our minds. Just as the earth shifts, so do our ideas about our new language and often our mother tongue(s) as well. Sometimes cracks are exposed, sometimes deep, gaping holes. We may have been aware of the fault lines beforehand or we can be surprised. Each change of the landscape alters how we see ourselves and how we use language to share that self with others.

Here’s to being moved in all the splendid and various ways in which that phrase can be taken.