Missing Words

English is extremely short on words and phrases to describe certain concepts, so I have taken it upon myself to rectify this error with regards to certain topics. For tonight I have chosen the rather obvious topic of relationships. Now it is known my many that the Greeks had three words for love, using Eros, Philia and Agape, each used for different aspects of love but sadly these days simply translated, all three, as just 'love'.

Eros is love as it is generally used today, a romantic, passionate, sexual love. It includes a desire for the body of another person as well as a lust for their companionship. Philia is an almost dispassionate, friendly love, a philosophical and mental love of someone rather than any lust for them. Agape refers to a love for the family, in simple terms, including the spouse. Once Eros has been worn away by the passing years Agape is the name for what remains if anything does.

Even these I believe, were we to absorb them into our language, would be insufficient. Eros for example refers to passionate love, with a touch of lust, but what about those feelings which are almost pure lust, with a touch of philia as an almost seperate feeling about someone? Someone whom you care about, and feel lust for, but not necessarily passion? None of these can be described even by those philosophical Greeks.

So, the different types of relationships, simplified and reduced obviously, that I believe exist:

• eros - an inflamed, passionate relationship, the first part of many relationships where those involved cannot keep their hands off one another
• philia - long-developed friendship, any feelings of lust dealt with long ago so that only an enjoyment on one another's companionship remains
• agape - love for the family, simple, instinctual feelings of protectiveness and care for family
• storge - again stolen from the Greek and changed, feelings of gentle affection. a child's relationship with their 'girlfriend' for example, that slight crush that makes you smile when you think of them for no real reason
• frato - sticking with the Greek theme, feelings more developed than just friendship but still non-sexual, a friend you would count as part of your family
• destro - my own invented word (I think), an obsession with someone to the point where a relationship would be destructive to both, being unable to resist a particular person, and doing anything they ask
• calc - a cold, unforgiving relationship where someone is simply out for what they can get from it and have no real feelings for the other person

I will most likely be adding to this list over time, as I think of more, and others are welcome to add their own.