"Backside" and terminology


 Driving home from Heber Valley this evening, we were treated to the always-breathtaking view of my favorite local mountain, Timpanogos. I used to call this the "backside" of the mountain; I was used to looking at the "frontside" every day from home. But then one day, a resident of that area questioned my terminology. What made me think this view was the back? He said it was the front, and what I see from Utah Valley is the back! It's a subtle difference of terminology; most of us somehow consider "front" superior in some way to "back."

I thought a lot about that. What justifies calling one side of a mountain the front and another the back? Perhaps ironically, most of the 73 ascents I've done of the mountain have taken place mostly on the back, I mean eastern (Heber), side of the mountain - except for the very last part of the climb that is always on the west-facing side.
It's interesting to think about what we call things, and why. Is the beverage generically called "soda" or "pop"? Is the sandwich a "sub" or a "hero" or a "grinder"? What's the difference between a "bag" and a "sack"? Do you sit on a "sofa" or a "couch"? Is your evening meal "supper" or "dinner"? Would you rather have a "pancake" or a "flapjack"? Do you wear "tennis shoes" or "sneakers"? There are many such "regional" differences within the US; if you start comparing British English vs. American English there are MANY more.
What's in a name? We can refer to the same object using a different word. So often it depends on our perspective, our tradition, our upbringing. Sometimes, the person we are trying to communicate with may disagree; sometimes they may find our word choice humorous; but sometimes they may have no clue what we're talking about, even though we're supposedly speaking the same language!
Language is fascinating. I love the many subtleties, and richness of options. I love to read or hear the words of someone who has studied and perfected the details of a language. I remember years ago when I was in Brazil, hearing a speaker who clearly was using a level of refined and educated Portuguese that was far beyond my (at the time) pretty basic conversational ability - and being in awe at the beauty of his words.
I #GiveThanks for the elegance of oral communication, and the ability it provides us to grow and enhance our facility through study and practice.

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