Illiterate of nature: the Occitan chronicle of joan-loís Blenet around the book “Illustrated flora of the sea to the mountain”

With the beautiful weather of spring, nature comes to us today that we schedule slides and walks. It is the right time to prepare them better than usual and try to remove our condition that becomes general illiterate of nature. Like the one who sees letters without being able to read them, more and more people see plants without being able to identify them. The loss of knowledge of nature is a major fact of our society that thus breaks totally of a large part of its culture and its roots. Nature becomes a “vegetable” that is named in a very poor way: trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers. It’s a green anonymity!

But we are hardly helped, that books and tools to find out give bad uses with scientific and alphabetical classifications that discourage illiteracy. But by chance it appeared recently in Occitan a formidable and educational tool-book. This is “Illustrated flora from the sea to the mountain” by Josiana Ubaud. Ethnobotanist and lexicographer in the field of Oc, it is clear in this book that in addition to a giant knowledge, she has a beautiful practice of discovery walks with the gaze of the learner. It is true that the first approach to the plants for a passenger is made from a distance and the boldness of his person. For this reason the plants are classified by size and means, and not by alphabet or families that make much sense for novices who are the majority of the world. Then they might mix plants that are never found together on the ground. Thus the plants of acidic soils flee the limestone and are never in garriga.

He presents us first the trees and shrubs, then the shrubs before the herbs and edibles. 460 the most common plants are explicit and named in their diversity. It makes a good basis for removing ignorance even if we stay away from the 4500 species of our Mediterranean area that has a very rich flora. And to help us, 600 photographs often in double view, close-up or wider situation, as well as the originality of landscape overviews with numbered marks.

Another wealth: the language. It is almost all in Occitan with a reference in French to help, and bilingual Languedocian and Provençal because they are very close and share the same Mediterranean flora. As Josiana says it is interesting to make variants such as rore and rove, restincle and lentiscle, frais and fraisse to measure the proximity of differentiated ways. Knowing how to name in Occitan its green environment helps to understand a large part of the toponymy of the country from which it came: vernhèda, fraissinet, eusièra, and so much more. Another peculiarity of the domain of oc is the proliferation of dialectal names that show the different imaginaries that have proceeded to their creation.

Without being encyclopedic, which would be bad pedagogy, the book gives each time a little idea: with nature an opening of imaginaries … Here is a tool finally easy to stop being a stuffy passenger. Huesca to the brave Josiana Ubaud and her publisher Letras d’Òc. They were helped by the Occitania Region which is here in full swing in its task. It is the beautiful proof that this support is indispensable and must be extended more vigorously.

French transcription… Illiterate of nature

With the beautiful days of spring, nature comes back into focus when we plan hikes and walks. This is the right time to prepare them better than usual and try to abandon our condition, which is becoming general, of illiterate by nature. Like someone who sees letters without being able to read them, more and more people see plants without being able to identify them. The loss of knowledge of nature is a major fact of our society which thus completely cuts itself off from a large part of its culture and its roots. Nature becomes “greenery” which is named in a very poor way: trees, bushes, grasses, flowers. It’s green anonymity.

But we are hardly helped, because books and tools for obtaining information are misused with scientific and alphabetical classifications which discourage the illiterate. But fortunately a wonderful and educational tool book appeared a short time ago in Occitan.

It is “Flora illustrated from the sea to the mountain” by Josiana Ubaud. Ethnobotanist and lexicographer in the field of oc, we see clearly in this book that in addition to a giant knowledge, she has a great practice of discovery walks with the look of the one who learns. It is very true that the first approach to plants for a walker is from a distance and from the height of his person. For this, the plants are classified by size and environment, and not in alphabetical order or by families which have little meaning for novices who are the majority of the population.

Then they could mix plants that never occur together in the field. Thus, plants from acidic soils avoid limestone and are never found in scrubland. She first introduces us to trees and shrubs, then shrubs before herbaceous and edible plants.

460 of the most common plants are explained and named in their diversity. This provides a good basis for overcoming ignorance although we remain far from the 4,500 species of our Mediterranean territory which has a very rich flora. And to help us, 600 photographs, often in double view, close or in a wider situation, and also the originality of general views of landscapes with numbered points. Another asset: language. It is almost entirely in Occitan, with a reference in French to help, and bi-dialectal Languedoc and Provençal because they are very close and moreover share the same Mediterranean flora. As Josiana says, it is interesting to put variants like roure and rouvre, restincle and mastic, fresh and strawberry face to face to measure the proximity of different appellations. Knowing how to name your green environment in Occitan helps you understand a large part of the toponymy of the country that comes from it: vernhède, fraissinet, eusière, and many others. Another particularity of the domain of oc is the proliferation of dialect names which show the different imaginations which proceeded to their creation. Without being encyclopedic, which would be bad teaching, the book each time gives a small idea: with nature an opening of imagination… So here is finally an easy-to-use tool to stop being an idiot walker. Bravo to the valiant Josiana Ubaud and her publisher Letras d’Òc. They were helped by the Occitanie Region which is at the heart of its mission. This completely proves that this support is essential and that it must increase vigorously.