Sunday, October 21, 2012
Culture and Language Style
I see a big barrier to cross cultural interaction, especially when so many cultures get to live in the same area, which is what we have today. I see it everywhere and it is almost funny sometimes, when people can agree on a same things, but have a completely different understanding about it. My parents will often comment on other cultures and their views, but I see it a little bit differently due to the fact that I have a more open mind to it. Some people judge others on their acts, but behind the acts often there is tradition and family views that those people were raised with. This past week I had a great ability to visit a church gathering of people that were born in the 80's, and the purpose of the gathering was to speak out of the things we wanted to change in church, I was listening and watching carefully to gather facts for my journal writing, and I was amazed on the opinion differences that were based on cultural views. People like me that were raised back in Ukraine had different outlook on church issues, and had a different solutions on the way that they wanted to solve the issues, and the people that were born here in the US could not understand us and even though we all talked about the same problem, we all saw it differently.We came to a conclusion that we had to find a middle ground and agree on it, because it is hard to agree on a solution with so many different opinions.
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It is very true that cultural and language styles can affect the comprehension of a topic. Beyond that, because comprehension is different, so are responses, and in the case of dealing with problems, so are solutions. I grew up in two distinct cultural environments. Up until I was nine I lived in California and New Mexico. The cultural influences were almost stereotypical American. I was surrounded by well educated people and went to good schools. Just before I turned ten I moved back to my birthplace in Hawaii. It took over a year for me to adjust to the differences in slang and attitudes. And for a period beyond that I needed what I would call a "cultural translator" to help me understand what was going on in certain situations and why things that I thought were simple in both problem and solution were so difficult.
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting when people have a completely different understanding or perception of the same thing, even though they are the same in many ways, but different in one, like their culture. Our perceptions are shaped by our education and beliefs, both of which are influenced by our culture and upbringing. A perfect example that everyone can witness is a different in political views: They can have the same goal in mind, just completely different ideas on how to reach it.
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