The Language Experiment

The Language Experiment:

1.   1.  For Part 1 of the language experiment we were asked to not use any form of symbolic language, thus referring to speaking, sign language, written language, just nothing verbal or ASL if we knew it. We were asked to do so while our subject of choice was allowed to speak freely however they wished.

This was definitely a difficult task to do because language is part of our everyday experiences but then again so is body language so I was able to get more in touch with how body language can come across and can give meaning behind something that was not intended before and this is why sometimes our communication is flawed because we mistake meanings of things for how we interpret the other person’s body language. I found myself using hand signals for like a thumbs up if my subject had guessed what I was gesturing towards right and if something they said was not the right message I was trying to get across I would laugh at them subtly and shake my head no so that they understood it was not what I was trying to say.

My subject was able to get my expressions and what they meant pretty well because I use body language an insane amount everyday probably much more than I actually speak and my subject was my fiancé so he was able to read my body language right from the start though of course would not be able to guess exact words I would want to be portraying but it always was at least very close or on the dot with understanding each other.

He did seem to alter his form of communication a little when it came to this experiment because he wanted to be able to understand what I meant more clearly and felt he could do that if he were to mimic me in some way so that when he would feel himself start to make an expression or move a certain way and analyzed how he was feeling in that moment then he would understand that when I made those same expressions or movements I was feeling pretty much the same.

I feel in some ways symbolic language and body language can both have their advantages if two people from different cultures were to converse because when speaking a different language and if the person from the other culture cannot comprehend that language, body language can definitely come in handy and leave both feeling like they were still able to have a successful conversation without symbolic language. I feel like the speaking culture would feel either more superior or like the other is helpless because of their lack of symbolic language yet if we didn’t use body language then I feel it would be even harder to communicate or form any type of opinions and sometimes having body language to back you up can be helpful in ways like convincing a loved one to better their life if they see that their lifestyle is hurting you by your gestures and sometimes one look can change someone’s world. Some people in our culture can’t use symbolic language anyway because they are deaf but this does not stop them from conversing with us. They have adapted their own symbolic language but when they have yet to learn it they cannot comprehend our words very well and I have noticed that the deaf people I have encountered are very good at using their body language and facial expressions. You are easily able to see the passion behind each gesture when they tell a story or want something and it’s awesome to be able to have friends who don’t quite get your language and you don’t quite get theirs but you have an understanding of each other through a smile or frown in a certain way.

2.    2.  For Part 2 of the language experiment, we were asked to only use symbolic language and no body language of any sort. This was probably the most difficult for me because I convey how important or how unimportant something may be by my tone of voice and facial expressions always very strongly and to not be able to use them kind of drove me insane with trying to express how I felt about something. I was not able to last the full 15 minutes without slipping up and using my face or body to show what I felt about what I was saying or in response to someone else’s remarks but it was interesting to see how difficult that would be to not show my feelings behind something not only for me but for my subject when trying to understand me.

My subject laughed at me mostly the whole time during this experiment because it was out of the “norm” to not have any meaning behind what you say and things that are foreign to what we are used to usually come off as weird to us. It was frustrating watching them laugh when I was trying to get a point across and I was envious of the use of their body language they were allowed when I was not.

I think this just shows how thrown off people can get when communication does not involve body language. I believe that is why being able to facetime is such a big deal and so is being able to hear the other’s voice over a phone because through letters and text the meaning or expression someone tries to share behind a word can be completely misinterpreted when the other person can’t see or hear he context in which it is said at the time.

Those who are blind cannot read body language though I know they still use it. It kind of is instinctive and can’t be helped but those who are blind when conversing will use body language themselves even though they may not see it and I personally feel like they can still read it somewhat by the tone of someone’s voice or if when they were to wrinkle their forehead when worried and then feel it for example this could show them that that is a part of expression of worry or confusion sometimes. But in some ways I guess body language would be good to not have because then you can focus on the actual writings and let that consume your mind more than the context behind it like when taking a class in person and hearing the tone of voice the professor may read in and if they have a certain opinion or judgement on a matter like humans are meant to then that will be what you take away from it but taking an online class like me, you are just seeing the raw words in the book.

3.     I feel like yes the experiment in Part 1 of the assignment would have been a lot easier if we were able to converse using written language as well but then the importance of body language would not really sink in and we all would have tried to focus more on writing things down than taking in the act of using only our body.

3. Written language can provide a lot to the cultures that use it though. This is a form of how we communicate long distances and was the only source of communications for decades. Written language can keep the importance of the message itself a top priority and helps us keep documents on historic or secretive matters.

Written language has impacted the world by spreading the language itself around the world the act of communicating through words that we create. It has impacted us by informing many of inventions around the world, of music, art, history, science, and many other great creations. Written language has made it so that we can expand our ideas further than just where we reside.