Audrey Beedle
COMM 211 – Reflection 5 (Ch. 6)
Chapter
6 is titled Language and Intercultural Communication. I learned a lot more about the implications
of the symbolism and importance of language as a medium to express your
culture, feelings, values, influence, and so much more. Prior to reading this chapter, I thought I
understood mostly how the relationship between language and intercultural
communication worked, but I definitely learned some new perspectives after the
reading and the in-class presentation.
I
found the video clip about the Kenyan novelist very interesting. It was clear that the two men on the screen
were having some difficulty in getting their points across and understanding
where the other was coming from. The
writer claimed that the European influence on Africa, Kenya more specifically,
is a rather negative thing. He lived
through the time period of colonization, in which his own friends and family
were tortured or even killed. Their way
of life was quickly and violently interrupted, as they were forced to
assimilate into this new culture and most importantly given this context, new
language. There is no way for me to
understand what that must have been like and what kind of feelings he has toward
the event, the assimilation, the English language, and so on. However, I do think that he contradicts
himself slightly.
He
has such negative opinions on the European influence on Kenya, rightfully so,
but he doesn’t seem to recognize some of the benefits it has provided for
himself and his people. In a time of
such rapid globalization, it is almost necessary to learn English in order to
be successful and make yourself competitive on a global scale. The people of his country have learned to speak
English, and younger generations are proud and are embracing this benefit of European
colonization. Further, these young
people did not live through the violent transition period, in which the language
was forced. It is quite the dialectical
dilemma, with many different perspectives and not one correct answer. I see why he feels the way he does, but I
think in this day and age he should consider the benefit of speaking English as
eloquently has he does, and spread positive ideas about how to preserve their
culture, while learning the “lingua franca” of the modern world.
Learning how to speak English is important, especially in this modern global society, people use English to communicate with each other. He should not think negatively about the European influence toward his country and some other negative perspective about speaking English or the colonization thing.
ReplyDeleteI think you putting the merits and demerits of colonization as a dialectical tension is right on. Excellent observation. I think you are right, Ngugi wa Thiongo focused more on the negatives in that interview. He lived most of his life in the West teaching in ENGLISH in universities like Yale, New York and California
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