Motherland and Russia, Fatherland and Germany, Homeland and the United States of America? Where did these concepts come from? And why have they changed over time?
A cursory look at a Google Ngram (for English language books only) seems to reveal these trends:
Homeland emerges as the preferred concept during the Great Depression. It continued to gain currency well before the symbolic (and real) attacks of ten years ago.
Fatherland peaks during the cataclysm we conceptualize as WWII/The Second World War, particularly around the time of the ferocious German-Soviet war, then drains away over time.
Motherland remains fairly steady, but never rises above third place overall.
What is a homeland, anyway? You've probably seen this joker-subversive poster . . .
Today's Rune: The Mystery Rune.
2 comments:
Seems there's a certain amount of tribalism in these concepts. But it's more than that because the land itself takes on a sense of living and almost godlike physical location.
interesting inquiry, Erik!
Aloha from Waikiki;
Comfort Spiral
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