My Thoughts on Language(Expanded) ELL 101

Language is always expanding no matter how many die, because it is a code that defines culture. Many cultures "steal" from other cultures without giving credit to it's origin, and they incorporate it to their own culture writing it off as there own. Lesser-known languages without the influence to expand outside of their own lands have been victimized by Western cultures for centuries. In part, the "thieves" are one reason that the native tongue they "stole" from may be inactive. This is also known as Cultural Appropriation, which is the term that describes the "theft" of traditions, food, language and overall culture of one group of people by another group of people. For example, if I didn't credit where I read an article about Cultural Appropriation that would be plagirism.(http://http//www.feministing.com/archives/018498.html)

Languages are also be affected by the well-being of the people that speak it. "Foreign Languages" can survive a people and make them stronger as well. For example my father is from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti and not too long after the devastating earthquake a man with an accent asked him for directions while we were waiting for the train. The man sounded muffled, like he wasn't that confident in his English, so my father picking up his accent, says "Are you Haitian?", the man replies "yes", and immediately my father made the transition from English to Creole, which the man understood best. Some people where looking at my father and I like with some sort of amazement and sympathy in their eyes.

Language is fascinating because we speak it when we are not trying to convey a message at all. The most subtle but descriptive language we all speak is non-verbal. It is one channel of communication that is most difficult to read, and also to hide. I would describe lanaguage as a tool that expresses verbal and non-verbal conciousness, from a speaker or sender to a receiver. Language is an artform to me when it is expressed with diction and intent, and I would like to speak fluidly from the lines in my head to this blog, my poetry, and my everyday conversation. Furthermore, Language is interactive, because it can trigger discussions(and also debates) and similarities can be found in different languages abroad. It is interesting to hear some bilingual people in the class say they've had dreams in one language and recall the dream only in English or vice-versa.

The game telephone is a perfect example of how language and messages can be misconstrued,where a circle of people relay a message from ear to ear, with the last person saying the message aloud. The final message is usually nothing like the original, which shows how communication can be broken down and how everyone speaks language(even if they speak the same language) differently. Some things about language that I would like to explore would be the mannerisms and edicate used in each culture's respective body language.

For the most part, I think that I am slightly rude as an American. Most recently I went to New Orleans, and was pleased to see, but slightly thrown off by the sense of community and friendliness of people. When I went anywhere nearly everybody waved at me, and acknowledged me. It made me feel good, and also made me realize the brash, unfriendly, middle-finger that New York seems like at times, especially on the train.

Finally, I would like to test how people's interaction and knowledge of language may improve with positive feedback that communicates inclusion into another's language. Some languages may seem "old" or unpopular because the people that speak it are oppressed and in turn, feel excluded, and discredited for something that they have known for generations.