Please post your ideas about this topic. Here are some sample questions that might help you:
- What was the most interesting part of this lecture for you?
- Did it make you think about your own language?
- How do you feel about the argument that different language will lead to different thoughts?
- Have you ever experienced misunderstandings because of your language? In a different culture, or in your own culture (local dialects, knowledge gap etc.)?
- Is there anything connected to this topic what you would like to know?
[Handout about petroglyphs taken from this link. Last access: 2022/12/23]
Media Analysis 
The lecture’s discussion on the various mediums of communication and how they each convey different types of information is my personal favorite aspect of media. Each medium of communication can be utilized to suit various needs ranging from video, audio, or written formats. The way we write articles is vastly different from how we script television shows or produce podcasts because of the tools needed to create said products as well as the audience we are attempting to communicate to. While all forms of information can be displayed in various means, some people also prefer creating or consume specific types of information due to the way we individually process the information conveyed. As someone who is considered to be a visual learner, video formats suit my needs best as opposed to purely written textbooks.
I often think about language and language barriers as language in it of itself is a gateway to its own world. Being able to speak English natively allows me to navigate a specific and fairly privileged reality as opposed to certain other languages. This is also true to those who were raised bilingual or tri-lingual as they are able to navigate multifaceted realities using a combination of their many learned languages.
Realistically, language itself formats our understand of how we convey the thoughts we process, so it stands to reason that being raised with another language will change how your process and convey your own thoughts. Language itself is the ability to rely information from one place to another and by changing the process we convey said information we also change what is being said. The nuance of language almost certainly causes an evolution or variance of ideals and forms of expressions.
Misunderstandings due to languages are almost always bound to happen as the process of learning a language in it of itself is complex putting aside the entire new process of translating said language into another language. Much like computer programming languages most people are fashioned to only understand one singular language, so when attempting to use another one to communicate to them, they will surely misunderstand what is being said even when having access to translations. Culture is a big aspect of how information is percieved as language alone isn’t enough to convey the broad range of human emotion and expression. Culture creates even more nuance to what and how we say things and provides context for expressions of endearment, humor, or frustration.
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I agree, language is an excellent gateway tto its own world, as well as how culture affects how we understand language. How do you think culture has influenced your way of using or understanding language?
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I’m gonna jump on this discussion because I think this is a really interesting question. In fact, we know that language is evolutive and has always been influenced by the society. The reverse also applies: society is influenced by language. For a lot of languages, the globalization that started in the 20th century has introduced new terms especially in English that are not translatable. The Japanese language itself has about 10 per cent of its words coming from foreign origin (mainly English). This probably includes a lot of tech or engineering words as English is the main language used for those fields. That might also apply for French when talking about Fashion or gastronomy, or Italian when talking about classical Music or Painting. So as cultures are mixed up and combined, there are exchanges and borrowing in our languages. Some languages also have dominance in some fields which leads to other languages using foreign words.
I think another good example could be social media, we’ve seen how fostering that online community leads to the creation of expressions, words that are directly derived from online content. For instance, if one person repeats a famous phrase from a Tiktok video, all the people that are chronically online and part of that online Pop culture will understand. The fact that by typing on our small phones, we need to share our thoughts in a condensed way, we then introduced new abbreviations all the time that our parents would not understand.
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The most interesting part of this lecture for me is the part where different languages result in different cognitive behaviors. This made me think about how differently I think in Japanese as opposed to thinking in English. I also thought the part about petroglyphs was interesting. It was cool to see that multiple written languages could have been derived from something similar. This lecture also made me think about Japanese. It was very interesting to learn about the pictograms that Japanese was derived from. It was cool to learn about how the pictograms that represented concepts eventually turned into the different Kanji characters. I also thought about how different interactions on social media are between Japanese users and English users. For example, Japanese users are generally more passive on platforms whereas English users are generally more interactive. The argument about different languages leading to different thoughts made sense to me since I think differently in English than when I think in Japanese. In English, I think more actively and more individualistically. In Japanese, I think in a more passive and collectivist voice. I think this is due to the cultural differences between America and Japan. A big misunderstanding I remember having in Japanese was when I went to Osaka to visit for a couple of days. I was approached by an elderly woman with a very soft voice and a very thick Kansai dialect. In the end, she was just trying to tell me that the zipper on my bag was open but it took two minutes and someone else intervening for me to figure out what was going on.
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Thats interesting that you can still have misunderstandings across different regional dialects even though you are both still speaking japanese. English doesnt really have anything like this even though there are a very large amount of accents that english can take on, the meaning of them all still remains the same with the same base vocab being used.
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Hi! I can really relate with your Osaka scenario. In my case, my country alone speaks 187 languages, so it really is hard to understand when a person from a different place tries to communicate with you. Back home, we have this 1 house helper, and she only speaks little of our native language used in our household we always find ourselves dumbfounded with the things she was trying to say. But, I really appreciate her efforts and hard work. Because given the language barrier, she still tries. And still helps us in order to support her family. ☺️
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Hi ACRUX,
One country with 187 different languages!!! That’s crazy!!! I cannot imagine how hard it is every time you meet someone who only speaks another language. Also in my father’s company there are a few Thai workers, and sometimes my father also finds it hard to communicate with them because only a few of them speak my native language, but the workers would try really hard to understand what my father is trying to say, but also in order to communicate with them my father choose to self-learn Thai, even though he still has some accent but the workers really appreciate his work.
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Hi! I agree that cognitive behavior changes depending on the language spoken. I speak Japanese and English, but I feel that there is a difference in personality when speaking Japanese and when speaking English. When I speak English, I find it easier to express my needs, but when speaking in Japanese, I often feel a bit sorry for the other person, so I often hesitate.
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The way that languages affect your thinking to the point of how your cognition operates is a big point of interest for me. Because I am someone who aspires to speak multiple languages fluently I try my best to not “think in english” as best as possible. In this case, as i’m learning japanese, I have to avoid processing and relaying information, even internally, in english so I can best grasp the language.
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After watching this lecture, I want to reflect on the quote “the medium is the message”. I think it’s really interesting to notice how our world is overflowing with mediums now so that each of them express something different. What I mean is that sometimes we are given assignments in class for instance. The teacher might say “You can choose whichever medium you want to present your research”. If someone chooses to write an essay, we might perceive them as a scholar, someone really serious who enjoys academic writing when no one does. Another person might want to use a powerpoint and when I was in middle school, there would always be those people who use a lot of ‘cool’ transitions to amuse the class. Then, we could use a video which shows dedication because of the shooting part and the editing part, and sounds more fun than writing an essay. What I mean by writing all those examples is that choosing a medium itself is already choosing to be perceived a certain way (considering we all have a somewhat similar perception of those mediums). This is also seen with social media nowadays: we could make Tiktoks if we want to be funny and share silly thoughts, we post on Instagram to show that our life is great and that we look good, we go on Line or Whatsapp to call our friends or families. If I communicate with one of my friends on a different app, they would know that it is for a different purpose. Each medium has therefore its own message.
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I agree that this world is overflowing with mediums and that they each express themselves differently from other mediums but also that because of the similar perceptions we can see many mediums the same as many others.
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I agree, this is interesting to think about, like how we perceive different mediums in todays world. Like writing as more scholarly or video as dedicative. I would see these as more of stereotypical ways of thinking about a medium but you are totally right, this is just how we perceive certain mediums.
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I think what you wrote about social media is very interesting; how different media can shape the way that people view the messages being sent. For example, information shared on a platform like TikTok or Instagram may seem less legitimate than if that same information was published on a website. While some people might trust the information no matter the source, I’ve noticed that a lot of people are a lot more skeptical and picky about where they recieve information from. 15 years ago, I am not sure if YouTube would have been considered as reliable a source as it is now, as I have found that I can cite YouTube videos when writing essays. Like you also mentioned at the end, different mediums can also shape how the sender appears when sending a message. People are slowly adapting to sending information through social media to reach a wider audience, but (especially in the past) are sometimes looked down on for posting on social media rather than a more “mature” medium like a blog post or a news website.
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After reading this lecture and your comments, I learned a lot. Before taking this class, I always thought that the media was at most a physical carrier like newspapers and radios. But in fact, the media is also the information itself. We Posts published on social platforms such as Instagram are themselves a medium, conveying to users the information we know, or the mood of a moment, perhaps sad or happy. Compared with Instagram itself, what we as users post Content is the more important medium.
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I agree your opinion. I thought about the phrase “the media is the message” too, but I thought it was very interesting because I never came up with such a unique idea like yours. I used to take a journalism class and we had a lot of mini-presentations such as news article presentations. The professor allowed submissions in a variety of media, and some people created and presented their writing as an essay, while others created and presented a PowerPoint presentation. The PowerPoint presentations were very engaging because of the use of images. I think this is because many of them tended to present in the same way as in verbal communication, using simple sentences and non-verbal communication at the same time. As you point out, I also believe that we use the media with a certain degree of awareness. We also use social media in a way that fits our lifestyle, which reaffirms to me that the media is the message.
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I agree with your opinion. It is very important that media is not just a means of transmitting information; the choice of media itself carries a message. The format and way we use media reflects our message and intent, and conveys certain impressions and emotions to the recipient. The idea that the medium itself is the message is an important factor to consider when choosing how we communicate information, recognizing that it reflects our intentions and values and it is important.
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The perception of mediums is a very important conversation and the internal biases we have for what could be considered an appropriate medium or not is evident especially when discussing social media. Social media is arguably one of the fastest growing digital mediums and yet is doubted by many who deem it illegitimate and unreliable.
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“The medium is the message.” has had many interpretations. The origin of petroglyphs, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Japanese kanji looks like just pictures, but in the past, communication through them. It is necessary to think about what you want to say or communicate because these are illustration-based, not letter-based. As professor said during the lecture, if you write them, others may receive them in a way you do not intend. Therefore, miscommunication occurs. This is why letters evolved and became what they are today. This is not only the evolution of letters, but also the evolution of communication and the use of media. I think that this is the result of long history of making things better. And nowadays, there are various ways of doing so. And the way they communicate depends on the person they are communicating with.
Also, the TED talk was even more impressive. I am not fully bilingual, so I did not fully understand some points. However, I found it very interesting to see how different languages change the way people think differently. The examples of how some Aboriginal people became familiar with directions as they used them in their lives and the visual differences of Russians were examples of how people change within cultures and languages. I think it is clear from these examples that people have different ways of thinking and abilities due to differences in cultural backgrounds and languages. Even if people grow up in the same country, there can be gaps in communication due to language differences. For example, in Japan, Tokyo and Osaka have different dialects. If anything, the “Kansai dialect” often used in Osaka has an image of being more strongly phrased. For this reason, I often hear that when an Osaka native converses with someone who grew up in Tokyo, the Tokyo native feels as if the Osaka native’s dialect is angry. I think that such misunderstandings are also created by the difference in language. I also thought that they are likely to happen when people who speak different languages communicate with each other. I sometimes want to say the same things in English as I do in Japanese, but there are words and expressions that are not used in English. For example, before eating, I say “Itadakimasu.” before eating. However, there is no phrase in English and only Japanese people do and say like that. I thought that these differences in language have given changes in each culture and behavior.
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I agree that miscommunication would happen back in the day and thanks to the constant evolution to communication the chances of miscommunication happening is low, and that the way to communicate with others depends on the other person. I also noticed that the different dialects make misunderstanding much easier which I completely agree as I had talked with someone with Kansai Dialect and I did think they were angry the whole time.
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I wonder if we will keep evolving our language until miscommunication can no longer happen? Like having a single global language far in the future.
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I also want to add to this comment. I agree that language can be a big factor in misunderstanding however in addition to language I think cultural barriers play a really large role in miscommunication and misunderstanding. I think the more people I have met from other parts of the world, the more I realize that the way one is brought up (childhood) and the setting in which one was educated in play a large role in their societal views that clash a lot with others. I think that speaking from an American perspective, in America, education is large part of the way one learns to embody individualism. On top of that in America there are lots of political discussions occuring in class as we do live in a more polarizing climate. That being said, speaking up and being opinionated is really important. But that also makes Americans what you can say “hard-headed” — we see one way as correct or we empahsize “political correct” outlooks. I think since this is such a hard topic, when we meet those from other places in the world, thyey might not emphasize this aspect in their lives as much. From this simple background difference, it can cause the biggest mis communciation or mis understanding. Even if its minor.
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Hello, TOCCHI!
First of all, I am as impressed as you are by TED talks. But I didn’t expect you to point out the dialect part. This is very worthy of attention. (Maybe because I am Japanese and have many friends from Osaka around me, that’s why I didn’t realize it and so I think what you pointed out about the difference in dialect is interesting). Apart from the fact that you said Osaka and Tokyo have different dialects and Osaka people often make people feel that they are angry because of the way they speak, in addition, I found that there are not only restrictions to people from Osaka but people from other cities in Japan. However, not only foreigners but also Japanese people often have difficulty communicating because even the same words can have different meanings.
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I couldn’t agree more with your point about the linguistic differences brought about by different regional backgrounds. I think this just reflects the diversity of cultures, which is the point of us constantly learning about different cultures. Language differences in different regions also reflect different ways of perceiving and thinking, which is rather interesting… wouldn’t it be rather boring if everyone on Earth had the same way of thinking?
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I completely agree with how interesting it is that language plays such a big way people think and how dialects can cause gaps in communicating. My dialect is a little different compared to the dialect spoken in Tokyo and speaking in my dialect can cause strange looks from my peers since some of the terms I use mean something different where I am from compared to the meaning it has here in Tokyo. Someone I know had a very strong Osaka dialect and I can agree that the dialect could come across as angry and I consciously had to correct myself and remind myself that just because I wasn’t used to the dialect does not mean that they are always trying to sound angry and it was definitely a learning experience.
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I agree that back when people were still using letters to communicate, it caused lots of misunderstanding since words are not able to express our feelings like we do when we talk in person, also it takes longer for letters to be received. But to be honest, even nowadays, we are able to send people voice messages, text messages, video messages, and emojis to help us to express our real feelings to avoid misunderstanding. But lowkey at the same time I do not like how convenient our society and social media are, because sometimes I will purposely ignore some of the text or not want to reply, but every time I will accidentally click on their chat which makes me feel like I need to reply. Or when I became the one getting ignored I will see those people posting stories on their social media.
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This lecture introduced us to the changes in media since ancient times, such as rock paintings, ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese characters. The hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt and the Chinese characters of ancient China, as well as today’s posts on social media, are all tools used as media to convey messages. Although they differ in form and media, they all reflect the culture, values and history of the time. For example, as far as I know,. The radicals of some hieroglyphics actually mean the front legs of cows when taken apart separately. This reflects the history of ancient Egypt’s agricultural culture at that time. Similarly, posts on social media are conveyed through text, pictures, videos, etc. Information reflects the ideological trends, culture and value orientation of modern society. So I think that although the form of media is constantly changing with the development of the times and technology, the core is still the same.
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Hello TOCCHI, I think what you mentioned about dialects is very interesting. My country has five or six dialects in the southern coastal area alone. People usually use which dialect they speak to distinguish where their hometown is. People who speak the same dialect are naturally classified into a group. People in the group have a default convention, that is, people from the same place must “help each other” when abroad. Dialect seems to be a way to convey “we are “Same type of people” message medium, people will be annoyed because the other person speaks a dialect they don’t understand, not because the dialect is very strong like the Osaka dialect of Japanese, but because they feel that they are classified as an “outsider” by the other person. in the category. If the background were changed to Japan and there were several Osaka people speaking dialect together in front of a Tokyo person, the Tokyo people would think of themselves as “people who can’t blend in.”
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This reminds me of a video I saw where someone was talking about phrases to be careful of saying for people learning a language as it could be perceived as rude or even aggressive but he said with enough knowledge of what’s going on the context of the situation you can still use them without coming off that way but was warning as a learner you should avoid them. He brough up how in your native language you can easily say things that would normally be rude or very offensive but since you have a deep understanding of how the language and context of the situation is you are able to keep everything in order but for someone who doesn’t have all that knowledge it can be near impossible to recognise and naturally understand when those moments are and how to use such things. I believe there is so much more to learning a knew language then just the grammar and vocabulary etc. You have to learn the culture as well since you need to understand when and how to use those words and grammar and how they feel and the emotions they carry connotations and such otherwise you may you can still sound strange even with perfect pronunciation and grammar.
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Hi, TOCCHI.
I agree with your observation that even though people may have grown up in the same country, language differences can create gaps in communication. I agree with your experience that the “Kansai dialect” often used in Osaka has a rather strong wordy image. I agree with your experience that the “Kansai-ben” commonly used in Osaka has a rather strong sense of language, because I have had a similar experience. When I talk to my friends from the Kansai area, I feel pressured by the way they speak. This may not apply to everyone in Kansai, but my friends’ voices are so loud and they speak in a Kansai dialect that I usually don’t hear, that at first I thought they were grumpy until I got used to it. I am curious about the results when this is a language other than Japanese, because even in this small island nation of Japan, it can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings.
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Dialects are an important example of how languages, even within the same language, can evolve and change in a wide variety of ways. African American Vernacular English or AAVE is one of the most widely used and influential dialects that constantly transform the American English language. Despite its indisputable effect on the English language and it’s usage amongst non-African American people (against popular sentiment that to some extent it shouldn’t be), many in America express anti-black sentiments against the vernacular claiming that it is “improper English” despite the fact that the English language has taken endless shapes and appearances over its existence. The disdain for other dialects can certainly sometimes be rooted in racism even though languages are meant to be forms of expressions that evolve.
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I like the aspect that there are various forms of communication and how each type convey different types of information. With each medium able to be utilized for a multitude of needs like written, video, and audio formats. Like the differences between podcasts, YouTube videos, and written articles. Firstly making these different things require different tools and the way to view/consume these are different like reading, listening, and watching this would also change the audience that these goods would reach, as some audience members would like to only listen to podcasts and would never read a written article. So although the products are public it wont really capture all consumers. Personally I would rather not read a written article and would instead love to watch a video. Also Language as a way to communicate is something I like, although the language barriers are barriers to communication with hand signs you can get your point across. So I like to think of language as a great tool to communicate but with hand signs it becomes an amazing tool to communicate across languages if you manage to understand half of it and the hand signs.
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Hello, CHEESE2!
I think your point is a good one! I wasn’t very good at using gestures to express my emotions, but after having a chance to meet more foreigners, I found that I also unconsciously imitated them and added some gestures when communicating to fully describe what I wanted to express. However, I feel that in Japan, if I add too many gestures, I will come off as overly excited or emotional, so I find it difficult to use gestures in Japan in addition, the gestures are different in different countries so it may lead to misunderstandings.
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Hello! CHEESE2, your point of view makes me start to think about the meaning of the existence of various forms of media, but in the end I think all forms are necessary. You said that you prefer to receive information by watching videos, and I am the same, Because the eyes and ears work together to receive information more efficiently. Many TV animations in Japan will be released in the form of radio dramas, which only have the voices of voice actors to interpret the plot, but lack of pictures. At first, I didn’t understand it. I thought if there were TV animations, who would be willing to listen to radio dramas with only voices. Later I think that there are still deaf-mutes and blind people in this world. One of their organs has lost its original function, and other senses can only take over part of the work of receiving information. Therefore, I think a single medium is actually very important.
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I agree with your opinion. Communication occurs through a variety of formats and tools, each of which can convey different types of information. For example, videos and podcasts provide information to viewers in the form of listening, while written texts provide information to readers in the form of reading. This will allow you to receive information tailored to your individual needs and preferences. I also believe that language is a great communication tool and is often used to convey information effectively.
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When I think of the word “medium” the first thing that I think of is mediums of media, like music vs film vs games. Similar to the mediums talked about in the presentation, these different mediums offer different forms of sensory immersion like how music uses hearing, film uses both hearing and sight, and games use hearing sight and touch with the controller. This is similar to how language can be just visual in writing, just audio in something like a podcast, or just touch like braille. As well as all 3 in a conversation where you may be introducing yourself with a handshake, touch, speak to each other, sound, and body language being the visual.
When you talked about the inability to leave your phone behind and the worries that come with that it really got me thinking about the many layers and barriers we have when trying to unplug. Our entire lives and infrastructure is built around having a device on you and to simply unplug theres so many aspects of your life that you have to leave behind that come attached to your phone.
Something that ive been thinking about a lot regarding language lately is the use of the “ne” and “yo” particles in japanese. These are really hard to get my head around as we don’t have something like this in english that we use are frequently and has this much flexibility. There are so many concepts like these in japanese that are entirely foreign to english speakers and its very intereseting to think about how these effect peoples way of thinking and internal dialogue.
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I’m also learning to speak Japanese. My first language is English. The way that “yo” and “ne” were explained to me is that they are equivalent to ending a sentence with “right” or “you know”. It’s a way of making your statement more like a question than a declaration and asking for the other person’s agreement or input. Japanese people tend to value consensus so adding “yo” or “ne” helps to do that. That’s my understanding anyway. I would be interested to hear what a native Japanese speaker thinks.
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Gyozafan, I want to add to your point on leaving your phone behind. I think its hard for me to wrap my head around the fact of just simply going through life without my phone. I mean even traveling and studying abroad here just simply seems impossible for me to navigate with out my phone. Not only is it a simple safety issue as a female, maps, language translation are all built into this small pocket device. I always think about my parents used to back pack around the world without a phone and their experiences compared to mine. I just feel like now that phones and technology are so integrated into the world, the world too has made it difficult to live here without a device. So I think its a combination of both environment and attachement that goes into the inability to leave my phone behind.
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I was impressed by your thoughts. Music, movies, games, and different languages demonstrate the diversity of media and language, and they have further influenced my daily life and way of thinking. At the same time, I can’t get over the large number of honorifics interspersed with the Japanese language, which is rich and varied and used in different ways, which is perhaps the beauty of the diversity of the world.
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Honorifics are a very interesting aspect of verbal communication that I did not think about. Not only the use of them, but even the existence of such honorifics says a lot about Japanese culture and society. These honorifics further exemplify the hierarchal nature that takes root in lots of different aspects of the Japanese language. This is a value that is deeply seeded in the culture as a whole and its interesting to see it reflected through language as well.
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As you say, media provides us with information and experiences through a variety of formats and mediums, each of which appeals to different senses and emotions. Media such as music, movies, and games stimulate the senses such as sight, hearing, and touch, providing sensory immersion. Similarly, verbal and nonverbal communication methods include visual, auditory, and tactile elements that enrich communication.
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As someone who is also learning Japanese remembering particles for every scenario has been especially difficult and thought there are some similarities in English I dont believe to this extent. It was interesting to recently learn that there are even more particles for counting numbers or the amount of something depending on what the object is. If its sheets a paper, stamps, or very thin objects you can use “mai” (i believe). If its people you can use “hitotsu”. Apparently these particle identifiers range from tiny objects to tea. It is certainly interesting to see the ways languages differ on a very practical levels as this level of identification allows for more specific speech at the cost of memorization.
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The lecture was about the types of communication, also how it developed the communication. What we can observe and notice from the historical documents, and what we can say from a picture from a various situations.
– The most interesting part of this lecture.
The part that I really remember through the lecture was that; what we see on the picture is not actually the “REAL”. That might be truth but might not be the truth. The example of a family watching TV in a PowerPoint slide illustrated the point that appearance can be deceiving. It actually seems like a straightforward depiction that family is watching and enjoying a TV show but in fact, it might be not. This situation extends to social media platforms, where users often enhance of alter their photos using tools like photoshop to present an idealized version of themselves However, there are people who believe that photo is real and not been photo shopped. The image projected to the people might not accurately reflect the true circumstances to the individuals who saw this posts.
This lecture drew parallels between visual representation and language, highlighting that language itself can be a complex medium for communication. Language has a sound (when we talk) that carries people’s tone of speaking, accent, emotions and the writing formats. When it’s written, there are several ways to understand that word. Like we have different aspects and emotions that we might feel from the same book. We can have a different feedback from what we saw in the films, YouTube videos and about this lecture video. There is a diversity in each that as to have a different emotions and responses from different individuals.
The one challenge to language might be the thing that everyone cannot really feel the same way as I do. It might lead to potential misunderstandings or miscommunications.
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I agree with the REAL part of the lecture was very surprising and does apply to social media especially in today’s society. Many influencers and just regular folk who are influenced by said influencers edit their pictures all the time that its ha become the new normal and kind of skews how we communicate with people since we don’t know what’s REAL or not. Especially now with the recent developments of A.I.
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That’s an interesting point about how A.I. is making it more difficult to distinguish between what’s real and what isn’t. Technology is very much a double edged sword when it comes to conveying reality. In the time before photography people could read about a person or a place in a newspaper or book but have no idea what it actually looked like. Photography allowed for exact images to be published, allowing people to see the things they were reading about. Eventually techniques were developed that allowed the manipulation of photographs, first air brushing, then digital editing and now A.I. The meme/joke “pics or it didn’t happen” contains a lot of truth. A photograph used to be very solid evidence that event actually took place. Now that pictures can be so easily fabricated or manipulated I think the saying is less true.
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The “what we see on the picture is not actually the “REAL” example you gave in your lecture is also interesting to me. Indeed, in the real world, people pick up on the positives and publish misinformation to hide the facts. This is the dark side of society I guess.
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Hello, PRINCESS24
I also think this class is very profound. Due to our diversity, everyone has a different view on everything. I think sometimes this can be very troublesome because it can lead to misunderstandings or poor communication. But I also believe that everyone having different opinions, interpretations, and styles is a very beautiful thing because we can influence each other to give and absorb new ideas.
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Hi, PRINCESS24!
I completely resonate with your reflections on the lecture. The idea that what we perceive, especially through visual modes like photos, may not always coincide with reality is truly very interesting! It’s cool how the lecture went into the complexities of communication, it did a good job of highlighting the nuances of the different ways to communicate.
The example of the family watching TV served as an illustration of how looks can be deceiving, not just in some historical documents but also in social media where edited images can distort someones sense of reality. The discussion about language further highlighyted the many sides of the nature of communication.
I agree that the diversity of perspectives / emotional responses to different kinds of communication is important to look into. The possibility of misunderstandings due to each others differences in what they perceive plays the role of a hurdle that highlights the importance of effective communication. I really liked your ides and can definitely say I agree with them.
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I think that it is culture, not language that is the primary influence on the way people think. That being said, language is a key aspects of culture so it also plays an important role. Between language and culture we have something of a chicken and egg situation as to which comes first. Does language create culture or does culture create language?
I believe that culture drives language. The part of the lecture I found most interesting was the TED talk. I think the discussion of the aboriginal tribe was especially interesting and supports the idea that culture drives language. It’s fascinating that the tribe uses cardinal directions for any discussion of location. I can imagine that a good sense of direction is vital for their way of life. If an individual or small group got lost or separated from the main group they might not survive. The environment and lifestyle demand a good sense of direction so the language developed to help meet that need.
I am a native English speaker and have been learning Japanese for a few years now. From an outsider’s perspective, The Japanese language seems very well suited to Japanese culture. Japanese culture is often said to value consensus and harmony. I read a book several years ago that suggested that the Japanese desire for harmony derives from the mountainous terrain. In early times when people lived in small mountain villages cooperation and getting along with your neighbors was important for survival. Even when people disagreed it was important not to be seen as disagreeable so the language developed to allow that. Japanese can be very indirect, especially when trying to tell somebody no or trying to express dislike for something.
There was a famous incident in the 1969 when President Richard Nixon asked Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato to reduce textile imports to the U.S. The prime minister responded with a phrase that, when translated into English, means something like “we will consider it” but is understood to mean “no” in Japanese. Nixon thought that the Prime Minister had agreed to reduce textile imports. The Prime Minister thought he told Nixon that he would not reduce textile imports. Because of their differing cultures, each man heard the same words but took away opposite meanings. The misunderstanding harmed U.S. Japan relations.
While I don’t think that language drives culture I think it does serve to reinforce culture. Using words can be thought of as a form of training or practice, because it’s something that is done over and over again. When members of the Australian tribe use directions in their everyday speech they are training their sense of direction. When Japanese people use words designed not to offend other people they are training their manners. These cultures value certain things and their languages developed to promote those values.
George Orwell explored the idea of how language shapes culture in the book 1984. One of the government’s ways of controlling people was the introduction of “New Speak”. The idea behind New Speak was to alter language in such a way that people would not be able to express disapproval for or criticize the government. The government in the book sought to create a culture of total obedience and submission to the state so they altered the language to suit that end.
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I like how you compared language and culture to the chicken and egg situation. Its definitely thought provoking, does the language create the culture or does the culture create the language. I didn’t think about how the Japanese culture and their value for harmony may have derived from the mountains and the terrains but it makes sense, Japan values nature and peace a lot and it makes sense for them to take inspiration for harmony from the mountains.
I find it interesting how much thought goes into the Japanese language to be respectful and proper towards people and it is funny to learn about the 1969 incident with President Nixon and the Prime Minister at the time. That interaction is very Japanese and reflects the culture a lot.
I also like how you said that languages doesn’t drive culture but it does reinforce it.
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to me the most interesting part about this lecture was the idea of non verbal communications. As a visual learner and artists myself, I find it much easier to express myself and understand the world around me through a visual language. I gravitate toward learning the meaning behind images and such to explain a broader idea. As an artist non verbal communication is something that is very important in the art world. encoding a message within a visual body of work to convey to an audience. Show rather then tell. I think it’s a more complex way of storytelling. Its a undisclosed conversation between the artists and the viewer. The perception can be different on both ends but thats not necessarily whats important about the piece. Its more about the journey. The thought process that brought you to your method of decoding the image. Visual language is a universal one. There aren’t things that have to be known about an image to understand them unlike actual languages which then need deciphering. This is why art has been around for so long and will continue to be around for the future. It is a way in which we can communicate with others when there isn’t another way. Being in a place like japan where I don’t know the language it is hard to communicate with the world around me, but something I have found so helpful are the images placed everywhere. I can know what something means just by looking at an image of it.
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I agree art is a very beautiful tool especially for communicating because though it is the same artwork it can rmean something totally different to one person than it would to the next person. Images are usually a very universal thing so having images around to navigate can be very useful especially in a foreign area.
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Hello, TUT01904
Even though I don’t consider myself an artist, I like art, so I appreciate your focus on nonverbal communication and its connection with art. Moreover, I agree with your idea that the reason why art has existed for so long is that in ancient times when there was no written language, people expressed all their inner emotions and thoughts through paintings and I think this is part of the communication too. Additionally, I also agree with you that “when you don’t understand a country’s language, images are very helpful” because when I went to other countries I also had the same experience.
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As you say, nonverbal communication, especially visual expression, is very important. As visual learners and artists, it’s understandable that we find it easier to express ourselves and understand the world around us through visual language.
For artists, encoding messages within their works is an important way to encourage private conversations with viewers through their work. Visual works have a message to convey when viewed, and the use of visual language allows for more complex storytelling. Visual works promote universal understanding across cultural and linguistic barriers, and unlike languages that require deciphering, visual works tend to be understood more intuitively.
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I really enjoyed having a section about rock paintings and Egyptian hieroglyphs. I really like history and archeological culture. It made me realize that it’s not just media between people, it’s media everywhere.
And I learned concepts and skills about self-communication, interpersonal communication, and group and large group communication. This includes understanding emotional expression, effective teamwork and communication strategies.
As an international student, I have encountered misunderstandings in different cultures (including cultural differences and knowledge gaps, etc.) due to language differences. The language barrier can lead to poor communication, and sometimes I may not be able to express my ideas accurately, or have difficulty understanding others’ points of view. I may also have difficulty understanding local dialects or specific cultural backgrounds.
This situation not only tested my language ability, but also pushed me to study harder and adapt to the new context. Gradually, I learned how to communicate more effectively, while also developing a greater cultural sensitivity. I’m happy that I’m a better person now than I was a few years ago. This process, while challenging, also gave me a deeper understanding of the close relationship between language and culture.
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Hello, CHIIKAWA!
I also really like rock paintings and Egyptian hieroglyphs, just like you. (I even want to go to these countries to see these historical sites.) I can also understand well what you mean when you say, as an international student, you feel the differences in cultural backgrounds. As a mixed Taiwanese-Japanese person, people in Taiwan still tend to think my way of thinking is Japanese, and people in Japan tend to think my way of thinking is Taiwanese (Not to mention foreigners). But like you, I am slowly starting to enjoy these different cultural backgrounds and differences and I am also glad to hear you say that you are even better than a few years ago!
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Hello, I can very much relate to your idea about language barrier. It really is hard to express yourself with a language you’re really not familliar with. But as time passes by, we all learn, and rise from the situations we’ve had before. I am very glad to hear your improvements! I hope I can be the best versiom of myself like you!
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I completely agree with this opinion. Differences in language and culture are important factors in communication, and understanding the ideas and values behind different cultures and languages is essential to achieving effective communication. As an international student, when exposed to different cultures and languages, it is inevitable that you will face language barriers and misunderstandings due to cultural differences. This process has certainly been difficult and full of challenges, but I hope it has a positive impact on you as a result.
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The lecture starts out with a quote which is the most interesting part of the lecture for me, “the medium is the message”. I have never heard of this quote, and I found it to be very interesting and true. There are so many mediums out there and some speak to me more than other for example. I don’t care poems since I find it very boring and pretentious, but I love listening to music and analyzing the lyrics. I love the fact that the way I ingest and interpret a song can be totally different than the next person. Using art as a way to express yourself is a very beautiful thing. In my opinion it is a very personal way of communicating to a large audience without putting any effort many can also relate to this art and find comfort in whichever medium it is.
I am from Japan and Japanese is my first language yet when I moved to the states I forgot all my Japanese and ended up becoming fluent in English thankfully my mom has made sure to speak Japanese so I can speak both languages and I have always pondered about how interesting thinking is and how sometimes I will think in Japanese and sometimes I will think in English and why my brain will just switch. The brain is a powerful tool and there are people out there who speak three or more languages whom I have always been jealous because they have the tools to open themselves to a whole new world and potential connections just because they can communicate to a new group of people. The endless possibilities out there within everyone’s reach yet many only speak one to two languages.
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As you said, multilingual speakers can have many connections and find new possibilities for themselves. I am a native Japanese speaker studying English at Temple University, but I yearn to speak other languages as well as English.
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Hello, I really find your ending statement powerful, and yes, there are lots of possibilities and opportunities when you know how to speak many languages. I am not saying that it is a prerequisite for everyone, but it is an advantage to a lot of people. One example I could think of is when you are in a Japanese workplace. Usually, when an employee knows how to speak a specific language, for instance, English. They instantly become the company’s representative to various international pitches, and this gives them an advantage in promotion, and having a big salary raise. But in contrary, I also believe in hard work and perseverance. So it does not really matter if you only speak one language, as long as you can communicate and express yourself.
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I found this lecture very interesting because I learned some new proper nouns and metaphors used by the professor. I also found that the content mentioned in the TED videos deeply impressed me and made me feel the same way. First of all, I learned some terms such as ‘intrapersonal communication,’ which means talking to yourself, and ‘interpersonal communication,’ which means talking to another person. When there are more than two people, it becomes ‘small group communication.’ I have experienced all communication situations, but this is the first time I have heard that every occasion has a noun. In addition, in the lecture professor mentioned that our ancestors expressed themselves through images before the development of writing, and now that we have both culture and writing. This raises the question for me: ‘Did many people spend a long time trying to understand and interpret what ancient people were trying to convey through those images before the development of writing, but conflicts arose because everyone had different interpretations of those images? So how was it eventually decided what each image meant?’ I enjoy the evolution of ancient writing systems, especially the transformation of Kanji, which I find profound. When I was a kid, I used to play a game with a group of friends at a Japanese school, creating our Kanji and guessing their meanings. During Chinese New Year in Taiwan or China, you might see a ‘Kanjir composed of ‘inviting wealth and prosperity,’ 招財進寶,” but this character doesn’t exist. However, because ancient people wanted to combine the luckiest characters, this character was created. Like this, in our era, our culture will likely continue to evolve for the next generation. Next, let’s talk about the TED video quoted by the professor in the PPT. Different environments and backgrounds will lead to different ideas and opinions. This is also very common in our daily lives (especially among Temple University students). I recently saw a video where a foreigner asked a Japanese “Do you mind if I sit here” and the Japanese subconsciously answered “yes for sure”. The direct translation in Japanese is “ここにseat ってもいいです”か?” “”はい”, don’t talk about いいですよ!” But I don’t know that the meaning in English will become something like “Don’t talk about ダメですよ!” So at this time, I should say “no” even though the meaning in Japanese is ” “ダメ” But in terms of English grammar and meaning, since the other person asked “do you mind~”, “no” is correct. Like this, I don’t know that Japanese and English are different languages in other countries because of the different background, culture, education and language, which leads to a lot of misunderstandings. Common obstacles and troubles when you speak more than two languages or are starting to learn two languages.
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I agree with the last part you are discussing. I have seen a similar video at Tik-Tok, although the example you point out did not occur on campus. That video illustrated a situation where mistakes are made in different environments. A foreigner in a public place is saying to a Japanese person “Would you mind sitting here?” and the person interprets “yes” as “you can sit down. The person said “yes” and the foreigner went away without sitting down. I also had a manager at my part-time job tell me he saw a similar video the other day, and my manager said he was still learning English, so he couldn’t quite understand it. I am also studying English, so there are still many things I don’t understand, but for a non-English speaking foreigner, it is a difference in nuance, and I felt that it could make people uncomfortable. I think we have to keep respecting each other before small things turn into big problems.
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Hi, I can totally relate when you said that misunderstanding is a common obstacle if a person speaks two or more languages. In my case, I also speak 2, but I m not really good at english, as it’s not my first language. So, what I usually do is to translate every word in my head, the reason why I stutter a lot. But, staying and communicating with my co-students here at TUJ hones my english skills everyday. So I learned to adapt to their style of speaking and their accent. This was really helpful for me because I now know how to respond without them misunderstanding my statements. I know I still have a long way to go, but I am really far from how I have started before!
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In this lecture, I learned that before paper was invented, people painted on rocks to convey information. The Egyptians used hieroglyphs, which shows that human information transmission methods are gradually becoming more refined, until Chinese characters The emergence of , turned concrete paintings into abstract words, and then the Chinese kanji evolved into Japanese hiragana and katakana. Because the pronunciation has reference points, and the kanji are roughly the same as Chinese, so for me, a Chinese It is said that learning Japanese is easier than for people from European and American countries. I think the core concept of this lecture is that medium is message. Modern people’s information positioning of message is relatively general. They think that only text-based things are called messages, but in fact, anything you can perceive can be called a message.
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The most interesting part of this lecture for me was that communication is a combination of various organizations. I could understand the field of communication clearly and I will be able to activate my communication with others more through the explanation of communication methods that I usually don’t pay attention to. In addition to communication, I was also interested in verbal communication and non-verbal communication. I was especially surprised that people today utilize non-verbal communication so much, because I did not know that this is also a kind of communication method.
This lecture made me think about my own language. In the lecture video, I learned that hieroglyphs spread to become Chinese characters, and that my language was derived from many things, that come together to form a single thing.
I agree with the argument that different languages have different ways of thinking. I feel that in Japan there is a language that is unique to Japan, just as there are proverbs in Japan. For example, in Japan, there are many stories based on ancient tales, and proverbs are sometimes formed from them. Therefore, I think there is a big difference between the meaning of proverbs in Japan and the meaning of proverbs in other countries.
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In addition, the non-verbal communication part, non-verbal communication continues to be a crucial part of human interaction, and its importance is growing in today’s age of media and social networking. While basic face-to-face communication is important, online communication has developed in many areas since 2019. For example, the spread of online classes and online meetings has made facial expressions, gestures, and body language more important than ever before, and the Corona virus pandemic of 2019 and beyond has forced the world into lockdowns and other forms of non-verbal communication through screens. Many social media and other forms of communication that are essential for today’s youth also use nonverbal communication. For example, Snapchat. I was studying abroad and it was then that I first heard how to use Snapchat from a friend and started using it. This application allows you to connect with people all over the world and send messages with pictures. I can send messages with pictures, so I can immediately see what my friends are doing. I can also send videos, making it a very useful app. I found this feature to be a new platform for real-time and non-verbal communication that combines visuals and short sentences to share moments.
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I definitely agree that social media is an essential part of communication, especially for youth and or people who struggle to consistently text, of which I am both. Social media allows me to feel connected to friends and have prompts to message them about when I see the things they are doing with their lives instead of texting them “hey what have you been up to”. It is a far more direct to the point form of communication for me that allows me to send them my love without having to be the best or most interesting texter. It also functions as a way to call and facetime people in situations where your phone number may not be functioning properly or if you simply dont have a number. People underestimate the amount of effort that would have to go into maintaining relationships if we were unable to have methods of connecting and sharing about our lives. In some ways the way we use social media can get us carried away for sure however when using it responsibly it can definitely help you connect to others.
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I believe that language can actually change the way we think, and this topic was most interesting for me. My first language is Japanese and English is my second language so Japanese should be always better for me when I consider about language skills. However, sometimes I feel more comfortable to use English than Japanese. The main cause is the awkwardness. Yes, Japanese language often makes us feel awkward. I had felt this for some time, but the Ted Talk lecture made it clear that there are differences in ways of thinking depending on language. The example that even if you say blue to Russian people, they perceive blue in more subdivided ways can also be applied when thinking about the differences between Japanese and English. In my analysis, the cause of Japanese awkwardness is that the language is too detailed and sensitive. For example, Japanese has subjects such as （俺、僕、私、当方）etc and Japanese people use these detailed subject properly. The same can be said for onomatopoeia and Japanese has so many types of onomatopoeia. I analyze that by using such detailed expressions, the character of the Japanese national character became more detailed. In other words, one of the reasons why Japanese people are so particular about things is language. The Japanese language that formed the Japanese people’s fineness has the power to make those who speak it feel awkward, which is probably why we feel awkward when we speak Japanese. On the other hand, English is not detailed like Japanese and in terms of expressions, there is only one type of first person subject “only I”, which is clearly simpler than in Japanese. If you consider that this simplicity has created a more aggressive national character among English-speaking people than Japanese people, you can understand why there is no awkwardness in English. In my case, at Temple University, where English is the official language, it’s definitely easier to express my opinions and say what I want to say without worrying about what others think of me than at my Japanese school. This also applies when going on a date or hanging out, where English is clearly better in terms of being able to ask what you want to say or ask the other person without hesitation. However, When expressing my feelings in detail, it is better to use Japanese, which allows for more detailed expressions, than English. From my experience, it’s not because of my language ability; even if I try to use a translator to express Japanese expressions in English, I often feel like the English expressions don’t quite fit.
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The most interesting part of the lecture for me was about communication styles. There are two types of communication: verbal communication and non-verbal communication. I did not have a clear understanding of the difference between non-verbal and verbal communication. The activity on the lecture slides to identify which communication type by looking at pictures expanded my understanding. I knew that facial expressions and gestures are non-verbal communication. However, the lecture taught me that posture and tone of voice are also included in non-verbal communication.
I found an interest in TED talks. The TED talk speaker mentions that Russians categorize blue differently from English when differentiating between colors. About this color distinction, Japanese people also categorized the color “blue” differently. Japanese people refer to both green and blue as blue. For example, we call a green apple a blue apple (青りんご)and a green traffic light a blue traffic light（青信号）. This color-calling difference has been a wonder to me. I was reminded that it is a peculiarly Japanese expression, as in the example of the color distinction of the Russians.
I was at an international school in Tokyo when I was in junior high and high school. As a transfer student from a Japanese school, I remember being astonished by the language differences. I did not know the difference between English and Japanese affirmations and negations. When someone asks, “Do you mind if I sit here?” in Japanese, the response is “Yes”. On the other hand, native English people use “No” to express the affirmative. At that time, I accidentally denied and caused confusion in communication due to language differences. The moment when I felt the most linguistic and cultural differences within Japan was the difference in dialects. Even though we all speak the same Japanese, the dialects we use on a daily basis can cause problems in communicating with each other. This is not a major communication problem, but the expressions and nuances of the language can change. In fact, when I spoke with friends from the Kansai region, I noticed that the nuances differed depending on the dialect.
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To be honest, before this lecture, I do not think I ever realized non-verbal communication was a thing, probably because most of the time I did non-verbal communication without realizing it, for example, the hand gestures I use while talking to others to express my feelings more, or the side eye I gave to people when I think they are annoying me. But I do agree that non-verbal communication leads verbal communication to another level.
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I think the idea of “the medium is the message” discussed in this lecture has profoundly influenced my way of thinking. The medium is a tool for transmitting information; it is not only a means of providing information, but more importantly, it shapes the form and content of the message. In China, we have a rich cultural heritage and linguistic expressions. Different media, such as books, movies, TV, and the recently emerged SNS, all affect the transmission of information. For example, traditional Chinese characters, as a medium, convey a richer message and may stimulate different ways of thinking and emotional experiences compared to simplified Chinese characters. The idea that “different languages lead to different thoughts” is true to some extent. Language is the carrier of human thinking and expression, and it reflects people’s culture and values. There are differences between different languages and cultures, which lead to different ways of understanding and thinking about the world. For example, in Japanese, people’s everyday language contains a variety and many honorifics, which is different from that of Chinese and English. This affects people’s behavior and way of thinking to a certain extent. However, I don’t think this difference means that one language, culture or way of thinking is superior to another. Each language has its own uniqueness and intrinsic value. Diverse languages and ways of thinking bring richness and creativity to human society. On the contrary, we may fall into the trap of cultural bias if we regard the differences between different languages and ways of thinking as antagonistic.
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After watching the lecture, I was able to recognize just how important language is and how it shapes the world around us. Not just verbally but through body language as well. In America, it is common for people to have very open and friendly body language. You often see people talking to each other in public, smiling at you as you pass each other on the street, and you may have even experienced a stranger coming up to you to compliment you or start up a conversation. These forms of non-verbal communication create an environment where you feel more welcome and are able to connect with the people around you. On the other hand, in Japan, people are a lot more reserved with their expressions. It is common for people to wear masks and avoid eye contact, so it is harder to get a grasp of the emotions people are feeling, and tend to have a more closed off body language. Even verbally, there is a culture of speaking formally to people which creates a barrier between one another as you prioritize showing respect over creating an equal relationship. After moving to Japan, it was very difficult to adjust to the change in culture. I tend to be a very open and friendly person and like to smile at people and start conversations with anyone. However, smiling at people as I pass them here leads to strange looks, and the constant worry of whether I’m using the correct words while speaking to older people has made it very difficult for me to connect with the people around me and causing me to feel a constant barrier everywhere I go. I find it very fascinating that even though we are all on the same planet, depending on where you go and how you are raised creates such a huge difference with how you view the world and interact with the people around you. I am really interested in learning about how the Japanese culture has evolved over the years, what events lead to the way people interact today, how formal language was established, and how the way people interact in Japan has an effect on their mental health.
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Hi, blogger345! It is interesting to know that there are some similarities with your country’s body languages to mine. In my country, smiling is the most prominent body language. Not only it radiates positivity, but also gives an impression of warm hospitality. Even in the most random places, whenever they see people, they just simply smile as a form of greeting, or welcome. In my perspective, smile speaks a thousand words!
With your experiences here in Japan, you are not alone. I am, too, tends to smile a lot even at strangers. And I had this one experience that I was called out for smiling a lot (sounds dumb but it really happened lol) So I learned of adapting to Japan’s culture in a very hard way. But, there are still people here who are nice, though! In fact, there’s a lot of them. Japanese people are not to type of person who approaches first, especially when you’re a foreigner. But, when you get along with them, you’ll realize how amazing they are. 🙂
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Something I found very interesting throughout the lecture was the different hieroglyphics and writings we saw from various countries and cultures. It shows us how much the human race has developed as time has passed on here on earth also how the cultures of places like Japan, Egypt, and more were developed, and where their core roots came from. I find it very interesting because we went from writing and drawing on stone tablets to now typing on computers, smartphones, and more for a less meaningful purpose. People of those times would use their writings to express the way of their living to show others and generations to and now we use it as a form of communication within each other. The various pictures of families we saw on one screen peak my interest because you can see the development and what families looked like throughout time and throughout cultures. On the top right and bottom left, we see very classy and formal families if someone were to tell me these were royal families I would probably believe them and then on the top left we see a digital picture of a more modern family, a family you would normally see in today’s world and then finally at the bottom right we see what looks like children’s drawing of their family and again it seems to be more modern and something you would normally see today. Now just comparing the various pictures shows how much humans have developed over time and some could even say they regressed in this sense as see these classy paintings of well-dressed families in suits and dresses and then compare it to children’s drawings of a family in normal attire with smiles and less serious emotions shows how times have changed. But I would personally say times have changed for the better because if I was a kid and had to get dressed up and painted in such a serious manner I would be a little aggravated. Another thing I found interesting was the TedTalk by Lara Boroditsky and the part where she mentions how in Russian there are two words for the color blue to differentiate the shades of either dark blue or light blue, however, in English, we just call the colors blue or dark blue/light blue if you want to be more specific. This shows the development of culture and communication within different countries, communities, and cultures. Every culture has its own ways of speaking and form of communication and because of that the main languages of our world today have been made by those who were carving and drawing on stones years ago. I don’t have a specific experience but something I feel like that relates to the topic of this lecture and what I have written so far is my communication with my older family members who don’t live in the US and personally, I cannot speak their traditional language although I can understand certain terms due to my parents speaking it around me when I was younger it makes it hard for me to communicate and have a genuine connection with my own family. So I would either talk to them through one of my parents who would be a translator or we would use universal terms like nodding our heads or giving a thumbs up to communicate because like I said before I can understand a good amount of what they say to me I just cannot give them a response back. Something I find fascinating about humans is as mentioned in the lecture we change our body language and the way we speak depending on the situation we are faced or the people we are talking to. It is interesting how we all change the way we speak and talk when it comes to our friends compared to how we speak to our professors at University, I guess it’s just a natural form of communication within the human race.
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The most interesting part of the lecture for me was how communication changes depending on different variables, such as the language we are speaking, as discussed in the TED Talk, or the medium we are communicating through. In a world that is getting more and more interconnected, it has also become much more difficult to communicate with different individuals, especially with the limits of social media. In a pre-agricultural or agricultural society, people communicated mainly between their families or communities close to them, which meant that they most likely shared similar values and experiences. This may also be why communication could be so simple, like using hieroglyphics or other logographic forms of communication. However, as mass media was introduced and communication advanced, there seemed to be a lot more discord between different groups. This can be as simple as misunderstandings in different languages, but even different cultures that speak the same languages can get into a lot of confusion. Now, because of how diverse audiences can be, it depends on the type of audience (apathetic, hot issue, all issue), the form of communication (small group, large group, interpersonal), and several other aspects that determine how effective the messages we send are. One other aspect I thought of that connects to this is if a society is low-context or high-context. In low-context societies like the United States, it is much easier to understand what people are trying to tell you through purely visual communication. In higher-context societies like Japan, though, there is a lot more emphasis on non-verbal communication and background context. This not only affects face-to-face communication, but communication through media as well. For example, comedic films from America might not be as effective for a Japanese audience, and vice versa. The wide separation that every country has from one another can make it incredibly difficult to understand the exact intent of messages being sent. Whether you are trying to make friends with, do business with, or watch something from people from another country, the medium and the type of culture both need to be taken into consideration in order to decode and receive the message the way it was intended.
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Hello. I thought That was a really interesting point you brought up about how communication has gotten more complex as we are able to communicate with more and more people outside our own group. We know have to think about how to make the message more understandable regardless of culture and background to make it easier for more people to understand and learn how to communicate with others with these new challenges. I believe its even spawned a entire industry for people to convert these messages and make them specifically for each target audience.
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I thought this lecture was a very interesting deep dive into different kinds of written language and how they’ve helped us advance. The early beginnings of communication may seem very trivial and seem ineffective, but they were huge stepping stones onto what would become modern day writing and they shaped how languages work. As well as, the way art works in conveying a scene, idea, or event. This leads to the way we use movies, tv, and other media to represent things without necessarily using words, rather just showing what we mean and letting the audience decide what they want to take away from it. This is especially interesting to me when you consider the fact that people of all different ages, backgrounds, genders, as well as sexualities, will perceive the same media in completely different ways and some may love it and others will not. As a storyteller, you are never going to make something that is liked by everyone and you simply must try your best to make something for the demographic you want to hit.
Another thing I think is very interesting from the lecture is that when a person who speaks different languages, they begin to think differently in a way that maybe better fits their language structure or the culture behind it. The TED talk was a very good example and I especially was fond of the quote Lera Boroditsky used in the beginning that said that “To speak a second language is to have a second soul.” I personally can resonate with this quite strongly as a person with a second language, and as someone who is learning their third one as well. I myself am a Spanish speaker, it is actually my mother tongue, as well as a fluent English speaker, and am in the process of learning Japanese. In all three languages, I can feel my personality shift and mold itself to be better fit to a certain culture. In Spanish, I can be a lot more boisterous and less shy. In English, I can be more serious and am able to speak more academically. In Japanese, I am very reserved and incredibly polite.
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Hi! POCHACCOLOVER, I very much agree with the view you mentioned in TEDtalk that learning a second language is to have a second soul, and personally, when I speak my mother tongue, my voice seems neutral, but when I speak English I will unconsciously press my voice down, causing bubbles in my throat. When I speak Japanese, the pitch of my voice will be higher than that of the other two languages, making it appear more feminine. Once I was talking to me My friend was talking in a restaurant and needed to check the menu with the Japanese waiter. My friend was shocked by the sudden change in my voice. She said that I sounded like someone with a completely different personality. She would not be aware of it if she called me on the phone. It’s the same person. Although this is a physical difference in speaking different languages, I think it is also evidence of the different souls that have been given to me.
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Hi MEADOW123, I think your mention of cultural
differences is very perceptive! In addition to language, one’s upbringing and
education also play an important role in shaping one’s social perspective.
These views can create huge conflicts with other people, especially when people
from different cultural backgrounds meet. A classic example of cultural
differences leading to misunderstandings is the difference between politeness
and directness. I grew up living in an East Asian country where we usually
focus more on politeness and avoid expressing our opinions directly, especially
when communicating with elders or authority figures. In these cultures, using
indirect language and reserved expressions is seen as a sign of respect and
politeness. However, when I traveled to the United States during my elementary
school year, the little American girls in my host family were more inclined to
express their thoughts and opinions directly and avoid vague or ambiguous
language. In American culture, directness is considered a sign of honesty and
transparency.
Therefore, misunderstandings may arise when people from different cultural backgrounds communicate. For example, an American may perceive an East Asian’s reserve as insincerity or a lack of trust, while an East Asian may perceive an American’s directness as rudeness or a lack of politeness. This cultural difference can lead to misunderstandings
and discomfort between parties unless both parties understand and respect the
other’s cultural values.
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Watching this lecture, the non-verbal communication really caught my attention. I find it interesting because the idea of understanding someone without them talking is truly beautiful.
I think it would be safe to incorporate love — being in a relationship, to be specific in this matter. Non-verbal communication for me is the ultimate form of saying ‘’I love you’’ because you have this kind of connection wherein you, and your partner only could understand. The days, months, and years you have spent building this connection, made you understand each other, to the point where you don’t need to talk whenever something’s up, and you know when you guys need each other’s company.
On the other hand, I, myself haven’t had any casualties in regards with my language itself, but more likely with the tones. Sometime people from a different place may find the speaker having raged emotions with the way they speak, where in fact, that is their normal speaking voice. Because each cities, and provinces in my country has different intonations, and that is the only conflict I could think of. But apart from that, there’s really no problem with my language, or with the way I communicate with people.
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This lecture made me think about my own language of how the language is structured and its rules can effect the message. While I personally think that many of the rules can be dropped and you can still get the message across it may effect the receivers perception of the message due to cultural and personal perceptions of how you formatted it. For example if you want to tell someone like “The map is over there” there is so many different ways you could get the message across all depending on context and even without following English rules. For example if asked where it is you could simply say. Map? There. this isn’t grammatically correct but in conversation based on tone and inflections used it can sound perfectly normal based on context. But there are some things that you could say where the message would be where the map would be but because of the standard rules of the medium no one would understand. This was more apparent to me when I started and still am learning Japanese. In English we almost never drop the Personal pronoun or really any sort of reference to a object or person. The most we can do is change it from the noun to the appropriate pronoun. While in Japanese its very common to drop the I or certain things when it is obvious what you are talking about. I found this to kind of show how the medium effects the message by the meaning might be the exact same whether you drop it or not. What you are constructing your message in has a huge effect on how you construct it and can effect the meaning in many ways from which words are there, not there and the order and even the connotation of words and such so when trying to explain messages to different people its important to keep the medium in mind and not just exactly saying what the message is otherwise you might mean something entirely different. I hope that made sense.
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I have had a misunderstanding due to dialectal differences. I was visiting grandparents who live in the North east USA. We were out and they said they wanted to pick up grinders. I thought since they live in a rural area and having lived in one I thought they simply needed a disc for a angle grinder or something along those lines. I thought it was a bit strange how they were talking about like picking them up for lunch but I thought just get them from a hardware store and then get lunch. When we to get them it turned out they meant the long sandwiches which I had known has subs. From that we found out it was also called a hoagie hero as well in some parts of the US. That was a time i had a misunderstanding from language differences.
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I think that the language you speak can definitely influence the way you think. While the exact word and details I forgot. There was a word in English that sounds very similar to a French word and one refers to light and the refers to dark. They even had the same etymology It had to due to with how they thought about the idea of fire where the English word thought about the light the fire emits and such while the French words etymology came from the word that was very similar but referred to the char and ash that the fire leaves behind. This to me showed that the language you speak can change the way you think about things and the associations you have with words and concepts. While I don’t think it necessarily changes like the way you think about everything and you would have some entirely different thinking process. I do think that due to the way languages are structured and their associations. Grammar rules changing he way we structure out thoughts and the order and connotations changing the feelings and associations of objects.
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One thing I found interesting about this lecture was just how much we can break down communication and messages. I never thought about how much is actually apart of it. When you communicate its all so subconscious that when you break everything down it really shows how much is going on in even simple exchanges. I will have to keep this in mind whenever I make something as there is so much involved an breaking it down can help make a better product and really make sure your message gets across.
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This lecture also emphasizes the power of language and its capacity to be transformative for human civilizations through means of communication and organization. There is a clear reason as to why knowing multiple languages is internationally seen as a big feat of intelligence: because the ability to communicate with each other to a very advanced degree is one of the greatest abilities that we have at our disposal. When someone is able to do this to the degree of being able to communicate to potentially half of the entire worlds population, by say knowing English, Spanish, and or Mandarin (or any of the other extremely used languages) of course it would be seen as an impressive feat. Though we also have to recognize that not everyone receives praise for this feat depending on how well you “speak” said language. People who immigrate to different parts of the world, especially in times of duress and need, are some of the most linguistically flexible people to exist, however, depending on how “assimilated” their accent is to the local accent they can be judged and seen as less than. Though immigrants often speak two or three languages their “intelligence” is not commended unlike “academics” because of their position in society. The language that people use to stereotype, and enact prejudice or racial bias against others is yet another form of international language that has been used as a weapon against people facing displacement and poverty. Though language has the ability to connect us together it has also been used as a weapon for dehumanization for generations and is the primary component for why prejudice continues. By understanding the power of language we can hope to use it in a way that betters our world instead of harming it, and advocating for the rights and safety of people instead of dehumanizing them.
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