A Linguistic Odyssey: Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes

Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle is a memoir by Daniel Everett, a former Christian missionary and linguist, about his time spent with the Pirahã, a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in Brazil. The book is divided into two parts: 'Life' and 'Language'. Everett describes the Pirahã's unique way of life and their unusual language, which defies all existing linguistic theories. The Pirahã have no counting system, no fixed terms for colour, no concept of war or personal property, and they live entirely in the present. They are also one of the happiest people Everett has ever encountered. The book is an engrossing exploration of language that questions modern linguistic theory, and an anthropological investigation into the Pirahã's way of life. Everett also reflects on how his time with the Pirahã affected him personally, ultimately causing him to lose his faith in God.

The Pirahã's unique language and culture

The Pirahã are a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in central Brazil. They speak a language unrelated to any other extant language. Their language is the last remaining dialect of the Mura language group. The Pirahã are monolingual and have no fixed terms for colour, no counting system, no concept of war, and no personal property. They live entirely in the present and are incredibly peaceful. They are also incredibly happy, with anthropologists ranking them as the happiest people in the world.

The Pirahã language is profoundly unusual. It has only three vowels and eight consonants, one of which is a glottal stop. It is a tonal language, and many words appear to take an arbitrarily changing form. It also lacks recursion, the process by which relative clauses are embedded in sentences to produce an infinite set of possibilities. This is a major challenge to Chomsky's theory of universal grammar, which states that recursion is a trait that distinguishes human from animal communication.

The Pirahã have little interest in anything they cannot directly verify. This is reflected in their language, which communicates through a sequence of simple declarative assertions. They also have no phatic communication, the linguistic jargon for small talk. They tend to reciprocate kindness at a later date instead of expressing thanks.

The Pirahã also have a unique way of navigating. They use exocentric navigational orientation, which is organised by orientation to the river rather than cardinal directions on a map.

The author's experience living with the Pirahã

In 1977, linguist and Christian missionary Daniel Everett arrived in the Amazonian jungle with his wife and three young children, intending to convert the Pirahã, a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in central Brazil, to Christianity. Everett wanted to translate the Bible into the Pirahã language and teach them to count. However, he soon became obsessed with their language and its cultural and linguistic implications.

The Pirahã have no counting system, no fixed terms for colour, no concept of war, and no personal property. They live entirely in the present and are remarkably content with their lives. They are also a tough people, living off the land and facing dangers such as poisonous snakes, malaria, and aggressive wildlife. Everett describes them as the happiest people he has ever met.

Everett's experience living with the Pirahã led him to question his faith. He found that the Pirahã were not interested in the Bible, Christ, or any abstract philosophy or experience that they could not witness themselves. He also discovered that he no longer believed in God. He eventually lost his faith in the God he had hoped to introduce to the Pirahã and instead devoted his life to the science of linguistics.

Over three decades, Everett spent a total of seven years among the Pirahã. He describes his time with them as a "life-changing tale" and a "spiritual journey". He also notes that his grandchildren all know the Pirahã, and some of the men who once threatened to kill him are now among his dearest friends.

The author's mission to convert the Pirahã to Christianity

In 1977, Daniel Everett, then a Christian missionary, travelled to the Amazon with his wife and three young children, intending to convert the Pirahã to Christianity. Everett aimed to learn the Pirahã language so that he could translate the Bible. However, he faced many challenges, including his wife and daughter almost dying of malaria, and a plot by the tribe to kill him.

Everett's mission to convert the Pirahã was further complicated by their unique language, which shares no root or vocabulary with any other known language. The Pirahã have no counting system, no fixed terms for colour, no concept of war or personal property, and live entirely in the present. They also have a "very conservative" culture, showing little interest in innovation. Everett spent seven years with the Pirahã, and his account of his experiences is an engrossing exploration of language that questions modern linguistic theory.

Everett eventually lost his faith in the God he had hoped to introduce to the Pirahã. He writes: "I would go so far as to suggest that the Pirahã are happier, fitter, and better adjusted to their environment than any Christian or other religious person I have ever known." He adds: "I had gone to the Pirahãs to tell them about Jesus… to give them an opportunity to choose purpose over pointlessness, to choose life over death, to choose joy and faith over despair and fear, to choose heaven over hell."

The importance of preserving and learning from other cultures

The preservation of other cultures is of paramount importance. It is only through the study of other cultures that we can gain a broader understanding of the world and our place in it. By examining the ways in which other cultures view and interact with the world, we can gain valuable insights that can challenge and enrich our own perspectives.

The Pirahã people of the Amazonian jungle provide a fascinating example of this. Their language and way of life are vastly different from Western norms, and by immersing himself in their culture, linguist Daniel Everett made several groundbreaking discoveries that challenged prevailing theories in linguistics and expanded our understanding of human language and cognition.

Firstly, the Pirahã language is unrelated to any other extant language. It is the last remaining dialect of the Mura language group and is characterised by a small set of phonemes, with only three vowels and eight consonants. Interestingly, the Pirahã can often dispense with these phonemes altogether, choosing instead to sing, hum, or whistle their conversations. This tonal aspect of their language presents a unique challenge for linguists attempting to study it.

Secondly, the Pirahã have no system of counting or numbers as we know them. They use comparative terms such as "bigger" or "smaller" instead of specific numerals, and they do not represent numbers using physical signs. For example, holding up two fingers to indicate "two" meant nothing to them. This difference in numerical cognition also extends to their perception of colours. The Pirahã do not categorise colours into specific shades but instead conceive of them in relative terms, such as "darker" or "like blood."

Thirdly, the Pirahã language is shaped by their unique culture and worldview. They value first-hand experience above all else, and this is reflected in their use of evidentials—suffixes that indicate the level of evidence behind a statement. For instance, they might say, "I know it because I was told it," or "I can see it with my own eyes." This emphasis on direct experience also influences their perception of reality and makes them resistant to outside influences, including missionary efforts to convert them to Christianity.

Finally, the Pirahã way of life offers valuable lessons about human nature and well-being. Despite the hardships they face in the jungle, they are among the happiest people you're likely to meet. They live in the present moment, free from worry and anxiety about the future. They treat sleep as a necessary precaution against the dangers of the jungle rather than a time for paralysing fear. They address children as equals, without the baby talk that is common in Western cultures. And they view everyone, adult or child, as equal, reflecting their belief in the fundamental equality of all people.

In conclusion, the preservation and study of other cultures, such as that of the Pirahã, is of utmost importance. It allows us to gain new insights into human language and cognition, challenge prevailing theories, and broaden our understanding of the world. Additionally, it helps us appreciate the richness and diversity of human cultures and the unique knowledge and perspectives that each one holds. By respecting and learning from other cultures, we can enrich our own understanding of the world and our place in it.

The role of sleep and laughter in Pirahã culture

Sleep and laughter are integral parts of Pirahã culture. The Pirahã people are a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in central Brazil, and their language and way of life are vastly different from Western norms.

Sleep

The phrase "don't sleep, there are snakes" is indicative of the Pirahã mentality. It is a way of saying good night, and it reflects the Pirahã belief that sleeping less will "harden" them and help them stay alert to the dangers of the jungle. Poisonous snakes are common in the Amazonian jungle, and the Pirahã are known to keep watch throughout the night, punctuating the darkness with laughter and conversation.

Laughter

The Pirahã are often described as the happiest people you're likely to meet. They are known for their laughter and their smiles, and they spend much of their time laughing and joking. They live in the present moment and believe "life is good". They have no rituals, no art, no myths, and no concern about the future. They value first-hand experience and knowledge above all else, and they treat everyone, adult or child, as equals.

The Pirahã language also reflects their positive outlook on life. They have no word for "worry", and they have no phatic communication (small talk). Instead of expressing thanks, they tend to reciprocate kindness at a later date.

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