Language as a Barrier Chapter 6

1. Language as a Barrier Chapter 6 The relationship between language and culture. How translation problems impede intercultural communication. Ways of communicating when there is no shared language. Nationalism/Linguistic Imperialism

2. Language relates to other factors in culturesTwo ways language affects IC Translation Problems Language as nationalism

3. Language Defined • Our text states: “One definition of language is that it is a set of symbols shared by a community to communicate meaning and experience” (123). • Language, then has a direct relationship to culture. Language bonds a people together and reflects what those people saw, ate, and thought” (123).

4. Mother Tongue Efforts were made to trace the origins of all the world’s languages back to a single or even first language. Assumes that language is dynamic & changing Assumes that symbols & meanings are arbitrary. Study of Language Origins

5. Linguistic Word Orders • Table 6.1 page 129 • Syntax – how words are arranged to convey meaning: SVO • Focus on Theory: Symbolic interactionism • Noam Chomsky argues that language structures are universal and that cultural differences in language are superficial. • Focusing on the universals can help explain how the mind works.

6. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis • This hypothesis is divided into two interpretations of how language works: • Linguistic Determinism – Language structure controls thought and cultural norms. This approach was discredited later but posed intriguing questions to linguists. • Linguistic Relativity--language and culture influence one another, “culture is controlled by and controls language” (p. 131, Jandt). • How easy is it to say something? • Language provides conceptual categories that influence speakers’ perceptions.

7. Applications of the Whorfian Hypothesis • Vocabulary—The greater the number of words for a thing the greater its importance. • Examples? • Grammar & Syntax –Tells us about how a culture sees itself, i.e. “be going” Black English. • SVO places emphasis on the doer, on action

8. Case Study: Arabic & Arab Culture • We can learn about Arab culture through the Arabic language. • Linguistic characteristics and cultural norms influence each other: • Islam and the Koran • Religion is a major cultural influence • Koran sets the standard for spoken and written Arabic. • 300 words for camel, etc.

9. Language Barriers • Language is the set of symbols shared by a community that functions to communicate meaning and experience. • Languages reflect unique properties of cultures. • Hence, language can also create communication problems especially when it comes to translation and language choice.

10. Translation Problems • Vocabulary equivalence • Idiomatic equivalence • Grammatical-syntactical equivalence • Experiential equivalence • Conceptual equivalence • One solution: Back translation

11. Pidgins, Creoles, & Universal Languages • Pidgins = mixture of two or more languages to form a new language for restricted purposes such as trade (pg. 139). • Creoles = new language developed from prolonged contact with 2 or more languages. Regionally found. (pg139) • Esperanto = universal language based on a combination of Latin and European lang.

12. Language as Nationalism – forms barrier called linguistic imperialism • When a group with more power enforces the use of its language on another group, it is attempting to make its culture dominant. • Referred to as cultural invasion, earlier, by Brazilian Paulo Freire (1992), to refer to the act of one group imposing its own view of the world on another. • Can be direct (war) or indirect (aid).

13. The Spread of English • English is the native language of 12 countries and semi- or unofficial language of 33 others, is required or popular in 56 others. (See table 6.3 pg. 144) • English dominates in areas of science, technology, commerce, tourism, diplomacy, and pop culture. • Internet search engines are largely in English. La Francophonie translates words.

14. Countries where a language was enforced (cultural invasion) • India– People speak more than 20 major languages and hundreds of dialects • Hindi speakers concentrated in the north • English speakers largely locate in the south • South Africa -- European settlers brought German, Dutch, French into the region. Later replaced with Afrikaans (a Germanic Language) and combined with Malay, Portuguese, French, English, and native African languages.

15. Languages Continued • Australia and New Zealand • Aboriginal and Maori • Canada • Quebecois • Officially a two-language country • Quebec has maintained a French-speaking society.

16. The United States State and federal governments in the U.S. have considered making English the official language during the time of: In Lau v. Nichols, the Supreme Court ruled that schools that do not provide special help for children with limited English are violating the students’ civil rights In 1990, a federal district court ruled that Arizona’s English-only law violated First Amendment guarantees of free speech Loss of American Indian languages/loss of culture.