Language

Language is a part of human life. It is how we communicate with one another, but we are so unique and have our own languages for our different cultures making communication between all different types of people. There are ways to communicate with other people that do not know the same language by the universal language of body language. Unfortunately, there are so many pieces to language that even with this we miss out on the written language, the spoken language, and the cultural aspect to language. To get a better understanding of language and the different aspects of language I was asked to conduct a couple of experiments which have shown me the importance of language as a whole and communicating without language in its entirety is nearly impossible.

The first experiment was to try and carry on a conversation without speaking or writing or American Sign Language for about 15 minutes. I have to admit that I did not last that long. The difficulties I had in this conversation were not responding. I like to engage with the people I am talking to so they are reassured that I am listening and I would like them to continue. The only way I could participate in the conversation was through nonverbal, which I feel is less effective. I notice my partner was having a hard time keeping eye contact so the nonverbal cues were not picked up. I think that my partner had a hard time with this experiment because he would have to carry on his own conversation without any participation. I feel like if my partner was female this would have been a much easier task. However my partner blew through many topics just grazing the surface of all of them, most of them about sports. Seeing our conversation as a conversation at a first meeting of two cultures seems like it would be accurate. There was a lot of confusion and uneasiness on continuing the conversation. There was no fluidity or confidence in the conversation. As far as the culture having the upper hand, I don’t believe that there was one that would have the upper hand. My partner did all the talking, but I could tell that he wasn’t sure if I was interested in the conversation, if I was engaged, or if I even understood what he was saying. This caused him to move to a different topic but still receiving the same nonverbal feedback he gave up short of the 15 minutes. I think I could have attempted to make better nonverbal communication to keep him going, but I found being so restricted made it hard for me to do anything short of starting at him with a blank stare. Unfortunately, I think that this would be a common problem any culture not having the same language trying to communicate. There would be a great deal of frustration and misunderstanding. I think that the speaking culture might think that the one not speaking is uninterested or just not understanding and they might just give up thinking that there would be no way of getting through. With this experiment I could see the nonverbal miscommunications that might go on between two people with different languages and the judgments that might follow.

The second experiment was even harder for me, but I grew up with American Sign Language and I find it difficult to talk without using my hands. I have been asked before in conversations to not use my hands, so I have sat on them and it was interesting I couldn’t even talk. Trying to talk without using my hands, body language, facial features, or voice inflection was impossible for me. Not only was it a difficult task for me, but it was uncomfortable and hilarious. This was something so out of my norm that I felt like I was talking like a robot and I couldn’t keep myself from laughing. All of these things made for a short non meaningful conversation. My partner this time really didn’t talk. He just watched in amusement at the spectacle I was making of myself as I tried to communicate the way the instructions said to. I believe that the nonverbal communication is more important than the actual words spoken. I think that through the different cultures there could be some body language that can be interpreted the same universally, but most would have to be culturally accepted. The nonverbal communications give clues to what it is we are saying, for example if we are asking a question. A statement can be turned into a question by the voice inflection and if you tilt your head forwards and raise your eye brows. To communicate the same sentence without any of those clues the listener would not know you were asking them a question. Again, this is within our own culture, other cultures might look at our facial expressions as an insult. I would think that there are people that have a hard time reading body language, maybe someone from a different culture or someone not as observant. I can’t imagine not reading body language, I am very good at reading body language and I pay close attention to it all the time. I think that sometimes I read into body language too much and I may overreact to something said. I can see how not reading into body language could help stay neutral in the work place or in relationships. It could also be useful when around other cultures so you are not reading into their body language and interpreting it according to our culture.

                I have gone to the bank and other places with my grandmother as a child and I have seen her try to communicate to the teller that did not know ASL or have an interpreter. They kept writing back and forth to each other which got frustrating. I could hear the bank teller’s voice strain and she kept trying to tell my grandmother why it didn’t work that way, even though my grandmother could not hear her. That made my grandmother frustrated and she would sign back to her aggressively. I wished I could have interpreted for her but I didn’t know sign that well and I didn’t understand the ways of the world at that time. Though my grandmother understood English and she could read and write, she still was having a hard time communicating. There is an element missing if you try and just communicate through writing. You don’t get the feeling or tone when you read words, or if you do the likely hood of it being accurate is slim. It is very hard to read a statement and know what it is that the emotion behind it. The written language is great to keep a historical documentation of culture. Also, keeping the history of culture written down can be great to inform others and this can be sent around the world and translated to other languages so that everyone can learn about that culture.

                Growing up around another language I have an understanding and appreciation for language. I have struggled as a child to communicate with my own grandparents. The experiments I have done remind me of all the elements of Language and how important they all are not only singly but more importantly cooperatively.