We have several inches of snow here in Suffolk, the last time there was this much was March 2018.
It fell all day yesterday. Teeny tiny bits that blew in the wind and didn't really look like snow..... not like the big 'proper' flakes that you can catch.
That made me wonder...... Do the Inuit/Eskimo/Indigenous people of the frozen countries really have dozens of words for snow?
I investigated.
One website lists 47, another 52, another debunks it all saying there are just a few specific words including
qanik snow falling
aputi snow on the ground
pukak crystalline snow on the ground
aniu snow used to make water
siku ice in general
nilak freshwater ice, for drinking
qinu slushy ice by the sea
Maybe if I had this library book that's sitting waiting for me in a crate marked Ipswich Mobile Library Route 7, I would know for certain!
By the time the library van gets going again the snow will be long gone.....I hope.
And the reason there are no photos of our unusually snowy weather is because I didn't step outside the back door all day!
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Keep warm and safe, Sue. Rosie sent us pictures of Norfolk snow yesterday, she was very excited about it.
ReplyDeleteHope my grandchildren have been out in the snow although Surrey probably missed out for Eldest Grandson
DeleteIt's just beginning to snow here now. I'm going to make my porridge then go get my weekly shop while I still can :)
ReplyDeleteI nipped out Friday when the snow was predicted, so OK for several days
DeleteI thought you'd cop it! The furthest (higher) hills are white here around Builth but nothing fallen here yet - certainly cold enough and skies look like they might oblige later! Keeping indoors is probably the best bet, it's BITTER out there.
ReplyDeleteNot so cold here today as there is less wind. The heating has gone up a notch and the log basket has logs so all is well
DeleteWe have a lot of snow, luckily coldest tempetatures never came. If Skandinavian languages have several words for snow, then I'd be more than supriced if Inuits don't have dozens of words for it. Maybe people who say there's no many words don't understand what is snow? I like snow when it falls down as huge fluffy and dry flakes (qanik), but I don't like when the same flakes are wet and heavy. And after a month it's not very funny to shovel another 10cm of fluffy snow no matter how light it is.
ReplyDeleteTiny flakes here which are quite wet - don't know what that is called!
DeleteIt is good to see some snow again and nice to know that it won’t still be here in two months time!
ReplyDeleteThe world “Eskimo” is now seen as offensive in North America. Some might say “politically incorrect gone mad” but there are lots of descriptors for people that used to be common and are now not used because of offence.
The websites all used different names so I did too
DeleteWe had a nice sunny day yesterday but of course the snow came at night not to bad but very cold.
ReplyDeleteMy GD has got the virus and lives on her own with her little dog she has only been in her little home a couple of months and does not know anyone, I feel so helpless for I have no transport but my D is going to see her after she comes home from work.
Hazel c uk 🌈🌈
Hope your Granddaughter is not too poorly
DeleteSnow? What's that? Only joking. Here in Devon we had a couple of flurries a few weeks ago and that's all. What we have had is alternate rain and sunny days. My husband doesn't like the rain and I don't like the bright sun as it affects my eyes, but hey ho at least we're here to moan about it. Today it's my turn to moan.
ReplyDeleteMore snow here today - still tiny bits that drifting
DeleteYes we had the light snow blowing about prettily in the air all day yesterday but nothing stuck. It does seem to have been distributed all over the country this time doesn't it. Oh, it it will definintely have gone by the time you get your book ... probably in July!!
ReplyDeleteSurprising to see so much snow here. I shall just stay at home. Hope the mobile library gets here before July!
DeleteLovely snow here but nice to be able to enjoy it from within the house and not have to go out. I think of the pictures of Eskimos in my old encylopaedia building igloos. I think it would be igloo building snow out there at the moment, but I am not going out to test it!
ReplyDeleteI shoveled a path to the garage and it is very sticky snow so probably good for igloos
DeleteI don't know if that's true, about the Inuit people's snow references, but we have a lot of it, and just call it snow. Is it unusual for you to get that much snow? -Jenn
ReplyDeleteVery unusual. There was some in 2018 but before that I can't remember any for years
DeleteAgree with Rachel - nice to view from inside. We have only a sparse covering up here and we get a shower and then half an hour of lovely sunshine.
ReplyDeleteSunshine sounds very nice, no sign of it here and it's still snowing
DeleteSnow and ice here but hope roads ok...second vaccine today...then plan to do 31st move in March...spent three years here close to grands now time to do same in Florida...won’t miss Indy weather...prayers...stay safe...I have isolated since March...no family visits...just hasn’t been safe...
ReplyDeleteVaccination centres are all closed in Suffolk today, the small roads don't get cleared very quickly so many people stuck at home
DeleteWe've had blizzard conditions for about ten minutes followed by sunny skies for about the same time all day long.
ReplyDeleteStay safe, if everything is closed it isn't safe to be out and about.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
We've had some too. Not a lot but enough to be called a proper snowfall. There may be more again overnight - we will see. And the ankle wellies have been christened. :-)
ReplyDeletexx
Hope you can stay inside and enjoy being warm and cozy. Be safe :) xx
ReplyDeleteAll righty. I'm Canadian and might be a bit of an expert on the subject. It's currently -26C before factoring in the windchill. It's too cold for snow as most Europeans would recognize. What we do get at this temperature is crystals of ice in the air. Two weeks ago at work we had quite conversation on snow at work. We start early and what was coming down was sleet, the next shift arrived to "soft, fluffy stuff", the first patient told us it was "ice snow". We tend to describe the feel and texture.
ReplyDeleteEskimo? It's the political correct world now. A nearby football team is having to change it's name from the Eskimos because of political correctness.
There is a very large First Nations population in my province. The Crees didn't see anything wrong with the Eskimo name. Actual Inuit didn't see anything wrong with the name but hey, a couple of people didnt like it.
In my career, I've cared for a few First Nations people. One introduced himself to me as "George the Eskimo". Another gentleman that remains in my memory was scalped by a Bear and in for treatment, we knew he was from the far north and he described himself as Eskimo.
So there's my take on snow and First Nations people from the Arctic.
We have about 3 feet of snow here in Alberta and it's -26C (that's not with the wind chill) and will be even colder over the next 2 days. I don't care what anyone calls it. It's white and it has to be shovelled several times day!!!
ReplyDelete