Pouliot, Alison. “Talking Fungus: Finding Language for a Troubled Kingdom.” Springs: The Rachel Carson Center Review, no. 5 (June 2024).
Language develops for the things we notice or confer significance. It is, of course, hard to discuss any subject without appropriate language, and the words we have shape our thoughts and impressions. In the English language, there’s only a minimal vernacular vocabulary for talking about fungi relative to those for the other two major kingdoms of life—animals and plants. Indeed, fungi form a kingdom of their own. They live inside their food, they do not photosynthesise like plants, and they are in fact more closely related to us humans and other animals than to flowers or trees. Yet language is lacking to describe them—and when language is lacking, negative impressions and misunderstandings can arise. (From the article)
This article was originally published in Springs: The Rachel Carson Center Review. Springs is an online publication featuring peer-reviewed articles, creative nonfiction, and artistic contributions that showcase the work of the Rachel Carson Center and its community across the world.
2024 Alison Pouliot
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