h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

> "Western cultures have season words as well, imbued with the depth of Western society"

about a millimeter or so?

Not at all - we just take our own associations for granted. So many items have connections, particularly with Christianity (Easter Lilies - or even lilies in general 'Consider the lilies of the field') thorns with the 'crown of...' and so on. Moreover oaks have connections to Robin hood, Druidism, strength. A purple thistle has evocations of all things Scottish, the leek Wales. Eagles are overburdened with metaphor, as are serpents, lions, lambs - can you hear 'asp' without thinking of Cleopatra? It is modern culture which has gone global that has the lack of depth. any semi-educated person before 1950 had an enormous trove of legend, myth, history, national feeling, controvery, and so forth that could be evoked by a couple of words. Even now, woe betide the advertiser who doesn't take subconscious connections into consideration when touting his clients wares....