Communication and Language

Language is a critical part of our cultural identity. We think about our world in the language that we know. Therefore, that language, by definition, must affect the way we view the world. For example, the Navajo do not have a word for war in their language. So, if we know that, it is not surprising to learn that conflict avoidance is an important characteristic of their culture. On the other hand, we use many words and phrases that relate to war and conflict. So, it is not surprising that we see a lot of conflict in our society.

Language is also an important social marker. We will talk more about this in the section on social stratification. However, a few points can be made here. Language, along with the clothes we wear, our hairstyles, the music we listen to, the car we drive, etc., are indicators of the social groups that we belong to. As we change groups – temporarily or permanently – we change those markers. Teens dress a certain way to demonstrate their differences from older generations. Their language operates in the same way. However, most young people learn that as they grow up and take on more responsibility – job and family – they must leave many of their teen markers behind them. When they go on a job interview they speak differently than they do with their friends and they dress differently (or they are unlikely to get that job).

In the same way, our dialects demonstrate our membership in certain cultural groups. All languages have many dialects. And, as your text explained, all dialects are correct in grammatical terms. I know that your English teachers have drilled into you that you must speak and write “correct” English. Linguistically, there is no such thing as correct English. There is only the dialect that our society has chosen to be the standard. And that standard changes. The standard dialect is connected to power and influence. The more powerful and influential group, the more their language, and other aspects of their culture are likely to be the standard for the society. We hold various groups up as “better” and hence their behavior and language are perceived of as “better.” Southern culture, particularly Appalachian culture has been viewed as less than by large portions of our society. Therefore, the dialects spoken there have been perceived of as less than. And, many judge people who speak those dialects as less than. One student mentioned that Ebonics was "acceptable."  I think we need to make it clear that what is "correct" is not always "acceptable."  Ebonics is not considered acceptable in the larger society, but it is correct.  Even though the various dialects in our country are grammatically correct, they are not all "acceptable."

A study was conducted using different dialects when calling to inquire about an apartment. The person renting the apartment judged the person on the other end of the call by the way they talked. This is ethnocentrism. That doesn’t mean that we should not learn Standard English. We must if we are to be successful in our society. However, it is important for us to understand, and our teachers to teach, that Standard English is important in many contexts, but does not necessarily need to replace one’s own dialect. I think we do a disservice to minority groups by portraying their dialects as “incorrect.” Basically, by doing that we are telling them that their culture is “incorrect.” Asking people to change their language is asking them to change their identity. Yet, altering our language and other social markers in specific contexts, is important for success in our culture.  These issues of language and our understanding of language have important implications for policy, particularly in how we teach our young people.

I want you to think back to the discussion about ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. Is one of these ways of speaking – Navajo or English speaking American – better than the other? I think the more important question is, “Why do these languages have such different vocabularies?” Are they adaptations to a particular environment – physical, political, social?

The danger of examining one’s own culture is that our initial tendency is to be critical of what we see. While we may be confrontational and argumentative, there are reasons for that. The important question is what are those reasons? To truly understand a culture – anothers or our own – these are the questions we need to ask ourselves. We can reserve judgment for later. Understanding must come first.

We will continue to discuss various aspects of culture that will force you to look at your own culture. One of my goals for this class is for the students to examine other cultures, as well as their own, and begin to understand why cultural diversity exists. Try to refrain from judgment and focus more on why those differences exist, what function do they serve for that particular society, and are those differences adaptive.