Cesia Rodriguez

Prof. Jerskey

December 12, 2011

ELL 101

                                        Importance of Language

            Although I am very fluent in speaking, reading, writing English and Spanish those being the languages I’ve grew up hearing and basically the only languages I have considered, I would have never imagined how important exposing myself to other different people, culture, and languages can be. Taking the ELL 101 course has made me realize that I’ve been taking different languages for granted. Before walking into this class I did not know how important pronunciation, gestures and the way someone communicates with you can really identify them. This can also help you find yourself in different ways. With my family and my social group I was only limited to a certain amount of language. For example I was never before in a room with so many different races and cultures in my life as I was in this first semester of college. Being Latina specifically Dominican, I was use to being around people that come from the same background as me and that only speak the same language as me. After I was exposed to just a portion of diverse ethnicity I noticed how open I am to anything or any one that is different from me. For example; the different foods from around the world and the different beliefs people have according to religion, medication, family and even food. 

            I have become more open minded and more accepting to certain things that my race/background may not agree on. But there are also a few things that my culture has in common with different cultures. In the Muslim society certain families would pick out the man they would want their daughter to marry, and they say with in time you will learn to value and love your partner. But the family always chooses a wealthy man because they want their daughter to be well maintained financially. “The Muslim world is different. Guided by powerful cultural rules and preferences, Muslims commonly arrange the marriages of their children.” Kurtz, Stanley “Marriage, and the Terror War Part 2.” nationalreview.com 16 Feb. 2007 <http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/220002/marriage-and-terror-war-part-ii/stanley-kurtz>. This also applied to the people born in Dominican Republic back in my mother’s time. Her first marriage was chosen by my grandparents, according to them he was a great man and he was wealthy. Although we may not speak the same language and we may not dress the same or eat the same food we still have similarities based on cultural practice. 

            I have also changed my thoughts about language and communication. According to the “The Study Of Language”, edited by George Yule I have studied how English forms their words using certain techniques like Coinage, Borrowing, Compounding, Blending, Clipping, Backformation, Acronyms, Conversion, Derivation, Prefix and Suffix.(pg. 53- 59). Learning how to use these word formation and their historical backgrounds made me appreciate other languages because if it wasn’t for them we would not have the words that we all love using like yogurt (Turkish) or sofa (Arabic) etc. I was also watching a video based on how a child learns how to speak. The exposure of language and different words can be very fundamental to them. In this video we can all see that it takes time to develop a language. The study was done to a baby basically him learning how to pronounce words while he gets older. Deb Roy. The Birth of a Word. 14 March. 2011 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE4ce4mexrU>. By watching this video you will have a clear understanding on how the brain works with language.

            After this course I have viewed language in a different perspective. I feel as if language made me admire the different people from around the world. I also see how important is to try to learn to speak a different language because not only do you find yourself but you can help someone find themselves also. I did not see it at first but I noticed how much in common I have with different diversity/ethnicity just based on language and gestures. I know that if I help someone that does not speak the language I speak I know I would be able to help them because of the different languages and cultures I have been exposed to.