Multilingual Observation | Right and Left — The Culture of Correctness and Omen

[Spatial Words 7]

"Right" and "left".
Words that are far too common, simply indicating the sides of the body.

Left and right are not merely directions; they carry values that cultures have woven over long periods, such as "correctness" and "good or bad omens."

Even though it is the same "right," there are languages that associate it with "correctness."
Even though it is the same "left," there are languages that quietly carry connotations of "bad omens" or "inconvenience."

Today, let's look at these "right" and "left." We will explore where the center of gravity of culture is placed, rather than just the direction.

Japanese: migi (right) / hidari (left)

Right quietly carries the side of "correctness/orthodoxy." There are many expressions linked to order and norms, such as "migiude" (right-hand man) and "migi ni narae" (follow suit).
Left softly exudes the sound of the "side outside the mainstream." Words like "sasen" (demotion) and "hidarimae" (financial difficulty) mix in bad omens or disadvantages at the edges of the words.
It is as if it directly reflects where the center of gravity of society has been placed.

English: right / left

"Right" holds the meaning of "correctness/justice" before direction, and it seems as if the directional word rather "followed along later."
"Left" is neutral as a direction, but due to the historical background where "right-handed" was dominant, being left-handed was sometimes described as "awkward."
Left and right are not just cardinal directions; they seem to secretly overlap with evaluation and legitimacy.

Arabic: yamīn / yasār

yamīn
The "side of blessing" placed at the beginning of physical movements, such as prayer, greetings, and eating.
yasār
Treated as the "side to be cautious of" in daily movements, with the body and religion woven directly into the directional words.
It is as if left and right form a unique sense of direction where physical movement and religious order are intertwined.

Indonesian: kanan / kiri

"Kanan" leans toward the side of systems and authority,
while "kiri" touches on nuances of the periphery or opposition, but it is not as heavy as in Japanese, moving somewhat lightly as a social label.

French: droite / gauche

droite means "straight/stable movement",
gauche means "awkwardness/instability of posture."
The difference in physical sensation slowly seeps into social imagery.

Right and left.
Even though I thought they were just words indicating the sides of the body,
underneath them, layers of values that each language has accumulated—such as the center of gravity of correctness, good and bad omens, social boundaries, and religious customs—were quietly layered.

Not only the shape of space, but also the direction in which "meaning" falls makes the same world show a slightly different appearance.

Direction is not just a structure of the world; it is as if it carries the "shadow" of values that the language has woven over a long time.
Surely, without us noticing, that "habit of direction" casts a shadow on how we feel and how we choose.

Finally, a question for you.
What kind of "meaning" do "right" and "left" carry for you?

* The "Time Words" series, which I would like you to see along with "Spatial Words" ↓

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