The Language Experiment
Reflecting on the exercise in Part 1, where my partner and I attempted to communicate without symbolic language, we were struck by its required inventiveness. I did this exercise with my brother, and we have gotten better at learning our tells, like body language and expressions. Communication this way for an extended period of time proved challenging in getting my point across; I had to repeat or "rephrase" what I was trying to convey. My partner found this frustrating, consistently having to ask and try to focus intently on my cues; it took a lot of energy to figure out what I was doing. Knowing ASL proved challenging in this part of the experiment; since I could use hand signs, I started to revert to ASL when I needed help getting my point across. The shift towards non-verbal cues like facial expressions or body language significantly altered our interaction dynamics. We found ourselves relying heavily on interpreting these subtle cues, which transformed the way we communicated. Through this exercise, it felt like the 'non-speaker' or the person relying on the non-verbal cues held more power, as their expressions and actions drove the conversation direction.
When considering this scenario as a meeting between two cultures, the culture using symbolic language inherently has an advantage in quickly transmitting complex ideas within its population. However, more appreciation or understanding of a non-verbal or less verbally focused culture may be needed. This mirrors the challenges faced by individuals in our society who struggle with verbal communication, where the predominant mode of power and influence leans heavily towards those who articulate well, leaving others feeling marginalized. This societal implication of communication methods are worth pondering over.
In Part 2 of the experiment, my partner and I communicated solely through speech without physical cues. This was a stark contrast to our previous experience. The absence of nonverbal signals made the communication feel incomplete and sometimes unnervingly blunt. The conversation was monotone and disengaging. My partner also found it disconcerting, missing the depth and reinforcement usually offered by body language and change of tone. This experiment showcases nonverbal cues' crucial role in our communication, enhancing or contradicting our spoken words and providing a fuller picture of our intentions or feelings.
Discussing the absence of body language highlighted that specific individuals struggle with its interpretation, for example, individuals with Autism, suggesting that in particular environments or contexts, not relying on body language could simplify interactions.
Reflecting on Part 3, using written language significantly eased the process in Part 1 by allowing complex ideas to be expressed clearly without the need for verbal or physical cues. Written language is a foundation for a culture's ability to record, disseminate, and preserve knowledge, granting it a powerful tool for advancement and unity. Written language's role is profound regarding globalization, facilitating a promoted exchange of ideas across continents and furthering understanding, collaboration, and innovation.
Overall, these experiments underscore the complexity of our communication system, highlighting how each component ---verbal, non-verbal, and written ---plays a vital role in our ability to connect, share, and thrive together.
Hello Kira! I would like to say that I found your blog submission to be very insightful and that your ideas are well organized. I found some of the parts of your experiment to be relatable to mine such as when it gets frustrating for the partner to not be able to understand you since you cannot speak. I also agree with you that a culture using symbolic language inherently does have the advantage since it allows for messages or ideas to be understood much quicker. Overall, great post!
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ReplyDeleteInitial comment: There are separate prompts throughout this set of guidelines and it would be to your benefit to format your post to match these, giving each prompt its own paragraph. That way I can more easily parse out your answers for scoring purposes.
ReplyDeletePart 1: Very good on your opening description.
The issue of power is important here. While I agree with your conclusion, this question had its own prompt and point value. It needed to be expanded and explored further.
"However, more appreciation or understanding of a non-verbal or less verbally focused culture may be needed. "
No one would argue this, but that wasn't the question. Why is it easier to communicate complex ideas with symbolic language. Could you even accurately communicate some complex concepts (like natural selection or our nation's political structure or Einstein's theory of relativity) without symbolic language? I don't think I could!
The last question here asks you to provide a specific real life example of a group that mirrors your own experience of this lack of power and control in your experiment. You don't offer one for your reader. To find a real life example of this experiment, we need to find a situation where you have a speaking population and another group that doesn't speak that language, and this results in a power differential, with the speaking culture having power over the non-speaking. We see that in the interaction between English speakers and non-English speaking immigrant populations. Think about how non-English speaking immigrants are treated in Southern California? Are they treated as equals?
Part 2: There were four separate prompts in this section and I would have preferred to see each one expanded. Okay on your initial description, but the response of the partner is often the most interesting aspect of this second experiment and I would have liked more description here.
" This experiment showcases nonverbal cues' crucial role in our communication, enhancing or contradicting our spoken words and providing a fuller picture of our intentions or feelings. "
Can you explore deeper than this, particularly with respect to the question about what information you receive with body language does NOT match spoken language? What benefit does reading body language provide here? What about the ability to figure out if you can trust someone? Or determine if a person is attracted to you? Or what about if a person is lying to you? Humans tend to use body language as a type of lie detector. If spoken words don't match with the body language, we are more inclined to believe the body language and doubt the words. Think about how being able to detect liars might help an individual's ability to survive and reproduce.
For the last prompt in Part 2, there are two separate questions that really aren't related. I agree that those in the autism spectrum are a good example of those who struggle to read and understand body language. That is one of the defining traits of that condition.
But for the last question, think about a situation where body language might mislead you, not because someone is lying to you but because you don't understand their system of body language. When might body language of others mislead you and it would be better to ignore it? Do all cultures use the same system of body language? They all use different systems of spoken/written language, so why would we assume their body language isn't different? If you travel to another country, can you trust the information you get from their body language?
Part 3: Same problem here... You offer a once sentence response to each of the prompts, and expansion was necessary. Your points are correct but superficial. Can you expand and explore more deeply?