The Word for World is Forest

The language in this text gives us great insight into the thoughts and beliefs of the people in this story. This novel depicts many aspects of classical colonialism in the language it uses. For example, there are multiple names for the planet; it has its native name, the name New Tahiti given by the colonizers, and a planet number. These three names show that each group of people is adamant to hold right to the land. For example, if the human colonizers came to the planet with the mind set of them being visitors on an already inhabited land, they would have adopted the native name of the planet out of respect. However, the humans see themselves as colonizers and choose to use their own name. Also, the planet is given a number to represent that it is just one in a long list of planets that are being colonized. This shows the reader that this planet is only one of many. The idea that both groups of people see the same planet under two different names represents the idea that each group has its own individual idea of what the land is used for. To the native people, this is their world, it is all they have ever know, and to the colonizers, it is just another place to take over and make into their own.