Language is the window to expression.
Where does language fall, for you, among other forms of expression: music, dance, painting, clothing, sculpture, gestures, song?
Do we reflect our language(s), or do our language(s) reflect us – both on a personal and societal level?
To understand multiple languages is to understand multiple perspectives on life. When considering any two languages, many words and phrases do not have translations because every language uniquely expresses ideas, and even seemingly synonymous words don’t carry identical connotations. Every language equips its speakers to communicate and relate and convey emotions differently. Describing nuanced examples of this is difficult, sometimes impossible, because English words and constructions simply won’t explain them.
Arthur Koestler was quoted saying, “Real creativity beings where language ends.” I don’t quite agree with that; I find that a lot of creativity lies in language. It plays a role in the shaping of our overall take on the world, but it doesn’t hold our creativity and imagination back. I do think, though, that it limits interpersonal communication to some degree.
English Appreciation
We watch the most popular movies in English, we speak in English with professors, we get to communicate in English when we travel, businesspeople can often get by with only English.
Today at the movie theater, Wonder Woman was in English with Portuguese subtitles (maybe dubbed in Portuguese would have been a better lesson, but Allie is a huge fan and wasn’t going for that at all). The theater was probably half full, but I’m sure the dubbed Portuguese is more popular. People all over the world choose between reading speedy subtitles that may or may not be great, and listening to words that seem to constantly clash with visual queues. And they make this decision because the money is in English, in Hollywood.
Beyond their inspiring passion and gregarious personalities, my coworkers have impressed me with language. As developers in tech, they have accepted English as a standard. All of the software is in English, and the code that they write must be in English so it can be refactored later on. The games that they develop have English terms, and they mix in words like “user interface,” and “hotkeys” with their Portuguese conversations. “Pode tem overlap?”, “Eu não quero rush o software”, “Esses aspectos são muito overrated”. They’ve specifically said that if they want to be successful in their field, they have to know English in addition to Portuguese.
All in all, I don’t think English speakers appreciate language as much as we could and don’t realize some of the privileges that native English comes with.
On the other hand, I think it would be good if English were not so common because we would be forced to learn another language. As it is, we are not pushed to see the world any differently, we are allowed to remain in our (blissful? ignorant?) English bubble.
Living in an international environment
Casa do Campus is like a long-term hostel. Among the present nationalities are Italian, French, Spanish, Mexican, Japanese, Brazilian, American, and Canadians.
Most people that I’ve met are living here for a whole semester rather than just a summer. On one of the first nights we were here, someone commented, “After living here for a month you will make life-long friends and you realize that you start planning your life around visiting different countries to see your friends,” in a conversation about the family feel at Casa. We’ll see.
Conversations around the house usually go to the language in common that the non-native speaker speaks best. A lot of the time that’s English, sometimes it’s Portuguese, and sometimes it’s French.
I never know what to say to people in passing: oiii, salut, hey, olá, hello, bonsoir, boa noite, buenas noches, todo bem…? Additionally, norms for greetings vary quite a bit. This has led to a few awkward, humorous interactions; imagine someone suddenly leaning in to kiss you (on the cheek) when you’ve known them no more than 10 seconds.
Now imagine trying to give someone a kiss (again, on the cheek) when they aren’t expecting it, or trying to shake someone’s hand when they are trying to give you a hug.
The standard in Rio Grande do Sul seems to be a handshake (as in the photo below) for male-male greetings and a single kiss on the left cheek for male-female and female-female greetings.
Body language
Living at Casa do Campus makes me appreciate body language and facial expressions. There are often moments where I’m in an almost-conversation with someone and we are at a loss for words; at that point we usually look at each other for a second (hoping the other will come up with something), and then start laughing at our incompetence.
There are also people at the house who I’ve not communicated with verbally. I see them every day, but haven’t exchanged much more than smiles with them. Eye contact and warm smiles go a long way when language isn’t quite an option.
Learning a foreign language, and the culture that goes with it, is one of the most useful things we can do to broaden [our] empathy and imaginative sympathy and cultural outlook…
– Michael Gove
In the end, I find it interesting that I think about language quite often, though in my own native language I am nowhere near being the writer or eloquent speaker I hope to be someday. I trip over my words and fall short when communicating, but foreign languages help me understand myself and the fluidity of expression.
Fun facts and random notes:
- There are 110V and 220V outlets (and a few are 280V). They aren’t just for show, either — one of our sponsors from Rice might’ve caught a heater on fire in an Airbnb
- We were cooking and talking in the kitchen when Allie suddenly comments, “I think I’m going to get a crick in my neck by the end of this trip”… It took me a couple of seconds before I realized that she was referring to my height relative to hers.
- Song: Águas de Março by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Elis Regina (on Spotify or Youtube)
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