Чужак в чужой стране

           ’Ifawordforaconceptisn’tinalanguage,thenitsculturesimplydoesn’thavethereferentthemissingwordwouldsymbolize."

           "Oh,twaddle,Stinky!Animalsfight–andantsevenconductwars.Areyoutryingtotellmetheyhavetohavewordsforitbeforetheycandoit?"

           "Imeanexactlythat,"Mahmoudinsisted,"whenitappliestoanyverbalizingrace.Suchasourselves.SuchastheMartians–evenmorehighlyverbalizedthanweare.Averbalizingracehaswordsforeveryoldconcept?andcreatesnewwordsornewdefinitionsforoldwordswheneveranewconceptcomesalong.Always!Anervoussystemthatisabletoverbalizecannotavoidverbalizing;it’sautomatic.IftheMartiansknowwhat‘war’is,thentheyhaveawordforit."

           "Thereisaquickwaytosettleit,"Jubalsuggested."CallinMike.

           "Justamoment,Jubal,"vanTrompobjected."Ilearnedyearsagonevertoarguewithaspecialist;youcan’twin.ButIalsolearnedthatthehistoryofprogressisalong,longlistofspecialistswhoweredeadwrongwhentheyweremostcertain–sorry,Stinky."

           "You’requiteright,Captain–onlyI’mnotwrongthistime."

           "Asmaybe,allMikecansettleiswhetherornotheknowsacertainword?whichmightbelikeaskingatwo-year-oldtodefine‘calculus.’Provesnothing.I’dliketosticktofactsforamoment.Sven?AboutAgnew?"

           Nelsonanswered,"It’suptoyou,Captain"

           "Well?thisisstillprivateconversationamongwaterbrothers,gentlemen.