Cross-Cultural: My Name Is Khan

Introduction

This portfolio is done accordance to the chapter 3 and 4 of the text book. The portfolio is also the additional information of the portfolio. As we learn from chapter 3, we learn of the meaning of language as well as how to improve our language skills. We learn of the obstacles and enhancement of languages. These become the barrier and a jumping stone in improving language skills. In chapter 4, we learn of nonverbal communication. The skills practiced in this is not only in body movement and facial expression. It included the aspect of bodily appearance, clothing and few others.

Pearson, Nelson, Titsworth and Harter (2011) stated that language is a collection of symbols, letters and words that indicate arbitrary meaning which are regulated by rules; as means of communicating. Another definition of language is its a subtle and complex instrument used to communicate an incredible number of different things (Cline, n.d.). As example, the word 'dog'. It could be translated as not only the animal but something else. The characteristics of languages are derived from the definition. The characteristic of language according to Bessette (2011) are it acts as a social tool, it must be learn, it is arbitrary, it has rules and also it allows human to be creative.

As stated by Aronoff and Reese-Miller (2003),

"Language . . . contrasts with other aspects of human behavior precisely in its regularity, what has been called its rule-governed nature. It is precisely this property of language and language-related behavior that has allowed for great progress in our understanding of this delimited area of human behavior." (as cited in Nordquist, n.d)

There were three sets of rules stated in Pearson, Nelson, Titsworth and Harter (2011) which are semantic rules, syntactic rules and pragmatic rules. Semantics is the study of meaning whereby it focuses on individual word and the meaning. Syntax on the other hand is how the words are arranged in forming a phrase or sentences. The arrangement of the words might give different meaning according to the sentences they are forming and up to our own encoding. Pragmatics is a study where a language is used in context with its effect on the communicators.

Another aspect of language is that it is intertwined with culture. Culture defined as a living behaviour, beliefs, attitudes and values of social community (Pearson, Nelson, et. al., 2011). The relationship of language and culture is not simple as people percept as it is culture becomes the lens of how we see the world. This is highly proposed by the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This hypothesis was proposed Sapir and Whorf in 1956. It proposes that language shaped the reality. In certain language, there is distinct difference of gender. For example in Korea, how female addressed older male or female differs from how male addressed the older male or female. Another example is in Tzeltal, the general word for EAT is TUN, but it changes depending in what it is eaten: K'UX for beans, LO' for bananas, WE' for tortillas and bread, TI' for meat and chilis, TZ'U' for sugarcane and UCH' for corngruel and liquids.

Another characteristic of language is that it helps to organize and classify reality. Language helps us to classify characteristics, thus become the symbolic of who we are without any complexity. As example when we say, 'I am a malay Malaysian." This did not show any details others than our ethnicity, country and religion. Language is also arbitrary which means words would not have meaning others than what the speakers intended. The meaning of words that are agreed upon to, or as in dictionary is known as denotative meaning. While the meaning of words that never the same is known as connotative meaning. In language context, language and meaning is personal as its depends on how the culture and social surround shaped them as context is just the situation where communication occurs. Another characteristic of language is that it is abstract. This is because words stand in for ideas and things but never an idea or things (Pearson, Nelson, et. al., 2011).

Language can either be enhancement or obstacles depending on the situation. First, people started using language in accordance to its pragmatics rules, syntactical and semantics. However as time passed by, people tend to forgot the rules as to make the language spoken more understandable. As Pearson, Nelson, Titsworth and Harter (2011) proposed alternative language includes grammatical errors and the use of colloquialism, clichés, euphemisms, slang, profanity, jargon, IM language, regionalism, and sexist, racists or heterosexist language.

Grammatical errors are usually happens in speech and rarely got corrected. However, if it is occurring in writing, grammatical errors are often corrected as in writing it is more evident. Colloquialism means informal used of words and phrases. The usage of colloquialism might confuse the non-native speakers and foreigners. Cliché on the other hand, means the lost of originality and overly used phrases or expressions. However usage of cliché might be unclear to individuals who are unfamiliar with underlying idea of clichés and they are usually ineffective in explaining ideas in new ways.

Euphemisms and doublespeak is two closely related as both were used to coat or covered the meaning of our speech. Euphemism is can substitute for rude and obnoxious comments. Slangs here mean a specialized language of a group of common interest or same co-culture. The main purpose of slang is to keep the outsiders of the group and keep intact with the insiders. Another alternative language is profanity which is the language that is disrespect a sacred things. Just like slang, profanity is more to establish a group norm not in professionalism.

Next, is about jargon. Jargon is the language that developed by group of professionals. The usage of jargon is limited to the group of people who understands it as it may confuses others who has no idea of the meaning of the words. Informal and IM language is no longer uncommon these days. The technology has affected the normal proper language to much more simplified language. Regionalism is words or phrases specific to a region or part of country. Regionalism creates divisiveness for those who are green to the terms.

Lastly are sexist, racist, heterosexist and ageist. Sexist is the language that shows gender biases. Racist on the other hand is language that insulting groups of ethnicity or based on skin colour. Heterosexist is the language implying everyone is heterosexual while ageist is a language that denigrating older people. These four are not like others as others have their own good and bad side. The fours only have negative side of using them and often being