Why was Jonas corrected as a child for saying that he was starving?

Jonas was corrected as a child for saying that he was "starving" because such a term implied a level of suffering and deprivation that was not appropriate within the controlled and sheltered environment of his community. In his society, where all needs were meticulously met and there was no real hunger, using the term was seen as an exaggeration and a misunderstanding of true hunger. This correction highlighted the community's emphasis on precision of language and the importance of maintaining a facade of sameness and stability.