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In Theory: Resolving Conflict Across Languages
In Theory: Resolving Conflict Across Languages
Figure One
Fundamental Differences Between Peace and Shalom
Peace
Shalom
Figure Two
A Partial Overlap of Meanings
Salaam Shalom
Peace
The Arabic salaam means wholeness, greetings, freedom from war, well-
being, and safety. Al-Salaam is one of the names of God. So it shares some
meanings with Hebrew and some with English. The Arabic word has impor-
tant attributes absent from “peace,” such as wholeness and divinity. While it
is closer to shalom, it lacks the important Hebrew notion that peace
between nations rests on friendship and reconciliation. Arabic has a com-
pletely different term for reconciliation, sulh, which also covers peace at the
level of social groups. “Peace” does not necessarily entail reconciliation
either. English can use “reconciliation” for this idea, whereas reconciliation
is inherent in shalom.
Figure Three exemplifies a situation of dissonance where the interlan-
guage partly overlaps with the languages of the interlocutors but not in the
same places. In this situation, the interlanguage acts as a false, not a true
Figure Three
Interlanguage Dissonance
NOTE
This article is derived from Project SG-21-96, “Middle East Negotiating Styles — A Lexical and
Behavioral Approach,” generously funded by the Washington-based U.S. Institute of Peace. I am
grateful to Patrick Cronin, Steve Riskin, Dan Snodderly, and Nigel Quinney for their encourage-
ment and help.
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