A Glimpse Inside My Head
Reader Beware: This might be scary.
So I have a lot of time to think while I am here, mainly because I don't interact with that many people that I can easily talk to. It is just easier to think while I work than to talk. A vast majority of my thoughts center around language, mainly because I hear so many different languages on a daily basis: French, Spanish, German. Language is a very interesting thing. It plays a large role in how we see the world. Take for example the Eskimos, they have I don't know how many words for "snow". Because snow is such a large part of their lives. Growing up in Tennessee snow was a small part of my life, so the one sufficed just fine.
I see different languages as a direct result of our sin. Back in Genesis, man disobeyed God's command to fill the earth. Instead the people wanted to build a city and make a name for themselves, when our purpose is to glorify God's name not our own. If man hadn't tried to attain the level of God we would probably all be speaking Hebrew or some other ancient tongue. This would make communication much easier.
But now with all the languages that exist it does make for some interesting experiences while traveling. I have learned that words are not the only form of communication. In fact sometimes they are quite dull. My co-workers and I have begun playing a type of charades as a form of communication. And this is much more fun than mere conversation.
Facial expressions also say a lot. Everyone understands the meaning of a smile, no matter what language they translate it into. It is also reall easy to convey that you don't understand with your face. I use that expression A LOT, much more than I would like to.
I have also come to love the English language. It represent home and everything that is familar to me. It reminds me of friends and family that I don't get to talk to enough. I miss y'all. Most times when I hear someone speaking English I will go up to them and ask them where they are from. Usually they are a bit surprised by my question, I guess they thought no one could understand them. Then they warm up and we chit chat for a bit. I have met people from Washington state and D.C. , Texas, Australia and a couple of others that I can't remember. It is nice to converse with someone from the states, who has a similar accent so I don't have to strain to understand them.
I am also continuously surprised when I hear children speaking French. In reality, this should be, and is, totally normal. But the kids here look and act just like any kid in the States and I always find myself expecting them to speak the same.
Those are a few of my thoughts on the subject of language. I hope it wasn't too scary and maybe next time I will have a new city to talk about.
So I have a lot of time to think while I am here, mainly because I don't interact with that many people that I can easily talk to. It is just easier to think while I work than to talk. A vast majority of my thoughts center around language, mainly because I hear so many different languages on a daily basis: French, Spanish, German. Language is a very interesting thing. It plays a large role in how we see the world. Take for example the Eskimos, they have I don't know how many words for "snow". Because snow is such a large part of their lives. Growing up in Tennessee snow was a small part of my life, so the one sufficed just fine.
I see different languages as a direct result of our sin. Back in Genesis, man disobeyed God's command to fill the earth. Instead the people wanted to build a city and make a name for themselves, when our purpose is to glorify God's name not our own. If man hadn't tried to attain the level of God we would probably all be speaking Hebrew or some other ancient tongue. This would make communication much easier.
But now with all the languages that exist it does make for some interesting experiences while traveling. I have learned that words are not the only form of communication. In fact sometimes they are quite dull. My co-workers and I have begun playing a type of charades as a form of communication. And this is much more fun than mere conversation.
Facial expressions also say a lot. Everyone understands the meaning of a smile, no matter what language they translate it into. It is also reall easy to convey that you don't understand with your face. I use that expression A LOT, much more than I would like to.
I have also come to love the English language. It represent home and everything that is familar to me. It reminds me of friends and family that I don't get to talk to enough. I miss y'all. Most times when I hear someone speaking English I will go up to them and ask them where they are from. Usually they are a bit surprised by my question, I guess they thought no one could understand them. Then they warm up and we chit chat for a bit. I have met people from Washington state and D.C. , Texas, Australia and a couple of others that I can't remember. It is nice to converse with someone from the states, who has a similar accent so I don't have to strain to understand them.
I am also continuously surprised when I hear children speaking French. In reality, this should be, and is, totally normal. But the kids here look and act just like any kid in the States and I always find myself expecting them to speak the same.
Those are a few of my thoughts on the subject of language. I hope it wasn't too scary and maybe next time I will have a new city to talk about.
posted by Jennifer | 11:11 AM
2 Comments:
Hey Jenn! I've always been fascinated with languages myself. And it was weird to hear children speak another language when I was oversees. In London, hearing children speak British made them sound almost pompous, like they were putting on a show or something. I was expecting them to have a Southern twang. Silly me.
I think I remember Dr. Vos saying something about the whole Eskimo/Snow thing in one of our sociology classes... It is amazing how language is so socially defined, isn't it?
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