Prithee English texts, and the difference between the two terms has been debated by scholars. Scholars such as Roger Brown and Albert Gilman have suggested that "prithee" was an ingroup indicator. Other scholars suggest that it is simply the more deferential form. The relationship between the two is complicated by the phrase "beseech you", which was used in the same time period and was clearly the form used most deferentially. Although the closest Modern English equivalent of "prithee" is "please", the two terms presume different attitudes within the addressee. While "please" accompanies a request addressing itself to the positive desire of
The Word for World Is Forest Word for World Is Forest" portrays a communication gap that the protagonists are never able to bridge. Both the native Athsheans and the loggers have languages that reflect their perceptions of reality, but they are unable to find a common language. In the native Athshean language, the word ""Athshe"" means both "forest" and "world", demonstrating the close link that the Athsheans have to the forest and their planet. It is noted by Lyubov that the Athsheans believe "the substance of their world was not earth, but forest". The language used by the Athsheans during conversations similarly show their interconnectedness and