Language

  Language is something we take for granted in our lives every day. We use it constantly in our interactions with others, with our pets, and even people who speak different languages. Whether it be in-person, over the phone, or even communicating via computer, language is what makes it possible to interact and go on performing our daily needs easily. During Thanksgiving we were asked to take part in an evaluation that had two parts to it; The first being to engage in conversation but not speak, write, or use sign-language, and the second being to engage in conversation without and movement or tone variation while speaking.

  The first act of engaging in a conversation for 15 minutes while not speaking or writing seemed nearly impossible.  I found myself basically sitting out in the conversation while others spoke amongst themselves. I would like to think if the others talking absolutely needed an answer from me they would find a way to ask, however I simply became obsolete for the time being and they just when on not including me.  If I were of a different culture meeting my fellow conversation partners for the first time I would feel very left out as well as bothered. I would not know if they were talking about me or if I could even trust what they are trying to tell me.  As far as having the upper hand, strength comes in numbers; whichever group is larger and can communicate together will ultimately have the upper hand.  An example of this in our culture would be people whom deaf and unable to hear others. Though deaf people do have sign language and the ability to communicate with each other and even read lips of people who are talking, anyone who does know sign language will not be able to understand them.

  Next I engaged in conversation where I was able to speak, however I could not move, motion, or vary my tone of voice. Though I was now part of the conversation and no longer ignored, this proved to be extremely difficult and was just plain odd.  I kept up the act for 15 minutes and must have broken the rules at least a dozen times without meaning to. I tend be a very sarcastic person and I now realize that without being able to change your tone, sarcasm simply cannot exist and be picked up on. My partners seemed to grow less and less interested in what I had to say since it was misunderstood and had to be explained each time. They found it easier to just limit the amount of time they spent talking to me.  This truly demonstrates that in order to be understood, signs are needed as well as speaking. The advantage to reading body language is the ability to interpret a scenario as it is unfolding and be one-step ahead or even have the upper-hand. However, reading body language doesn’t work for everyone, especially if someone tends to be an over-thinker.  I once read a book called, How to read a Person Like a Book, and it said that if a girl crosses her legs towards you she is interested away if she is not. I personally found this to be a useful tool as it helped me build confidence at times that seemed to be helpful. However, I told this to a few friends and two in particular were over-thinkers and it ruined them. They panicked at the first sight of legs crossed away and tumbled down hill from there after.

  To sum it all up, language it extremely important it the world we live in, and without the aid of signs to go along with it, it seems to fall somewhat short. Upon completing my 30 minutes of conversation and observation, I found that I had either chose a very rude specimen to observe or that the world tends to push aside those who cannot keep up with communication.