Faith Tong (Week 1) - Language = Universal

 Faith Tong- Week 1

language = universal 

   To be honest I never really noticed how big of an impact language was in my life. I kind of always took language for granted, as if it was just something that came naturally to me. But ever since I started learning Spanish, I realized that learning languages can be difficult but also fun since you get to explore the different aspects and cultures a language brings together. I found an article from Stanford written by Shashkevich that talked about the power of language and how it shaped people and culture. 

    Shashkevich starts off by emphasizing how important language is, saying, “Language is the primary tool for expression and communication.” Although we are also taught to write and read in our everyday lives, we use language the most to communicate with friends, teachers, and family. I guess you could say language is what brings people together and help us understand one another, which is why it is so crucial in our everyday lives. Language can also help us express or emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, etc. all put into phrases or words we like to use to express ourselves. Shashkevich also describes language as a “cultural, social and psychological phenomenon.” To me, language was just the most basic way to communicate to others and that was about it. But now considering the different factors that come into play that are all associated with language, it just goes on to show how language is more powerful and influential then I thought it was. Language can define someone’s culture, and the way they speak or the accent they have are special and unique. Language also helps us connect to people who speak the same language as us or can be used to understand others.

    Language isn’t just a way to communicate, it’s a way to keep growing and understanding ourselves and others around us. So my question to you is: How has language affected you and helped you grow? 

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