Language

For this assignment, I was asked to engage in a conversation for 15 minutes. The challenging part of the conversation was not being allowed to take part in any version of symbolic language, such as speaking, writing, or American Sign Language. In doing so, I asked my boyfriend and a good friend of mine to take part in the conversation. Because my boyfriend became frustrated with the difficulty this challenge presented, I will be focusing on the interaction between my good friend and myself. My friend, Scythia, and I decided to go shopping one day, where I explained what we would be doing for this so-called experiment. After she agreed to converse, we chose a table to sit down at so that she may have a better time understanding myself. During the fifteen minutes, we covered the following topics: shopping, hunger, and work. I attempted to explain to her that because of all the shopping, I had become very hungry. I did this by a combination of hand gestures and facial expressions. I placed my hand over my stomach and made a face resembling that of desperation. Scythia was quick to acknowledge my hunger, but had a hard time understanding what I had wanted to eat. I tried explaining that I felt like having a tuna sandwich; therefore, I made a fish face. After much debate, we moved onto the topic of work. I explained to her that I was not looking forward to working (in a grocery store) on St. Patrick’s Day because of all the party goers who come in late at night. Surprisingly, she understood my concerns because we share the same background when it comes to work. Overall, this conversation was difficult to say the least. She explained that she felt as though she was initiating most of the conversation. Throughout the process, she altered her way of communicating by changing the type of questions asked. What I mean is that these questions required a simple yes or no, accomplished by a head movement.

Because I had difficulty getting my points across, Scythia was in control of the conversation. At times, she became frustrated because she could not grasp any ideas presented. As previously mentioned, she directed the conversation elsewhere when she really had no idea what I was saying. As far as asking her questions, I could easily ask her if she was hungry while on the topic. But, there was struggle in deciding what to eat. To choose something to eat, she would randomly say a list of foods, in which I would then nod yes or no. Therefore, the bulk of asking came from her side. If I had conducted this experiment with a group of people, I feel as though I would be excluded in some way. When considering the conversation as a balance of power, Scythia had the power. Scythia retained power throughout the conversation because she initiated or changed topics.

If Scythia and I represented two different cultures, one that uses spoken language and one that does not, her culture would have an advantage. The culture that uses spoken language definitely has the advantage in communicating complex ideas within their population. Not only can her population understand the concepts presented, but do so in a quick manner. It took fifteen minutes for her and myself to discuss a few topics; whereas it would take five minutes if we were to both speak. In addition,  the speaking culture may have a certain attitude toward the culture that does not use symbolic language. For instance, the speaking culture may express superiority while engaging because they assume control over the conversation. Not only would they feel superior, but frustrated at a lack of comprehension. If not experiencing superiority or frustration, then confusion may arise. In relation to modern times, I am faced with interacting with all sorts of people, some of which from different countries. At first, I feel as though I am being ignored when getting no initial response. As soon as I become aware that this person does not speak English, being able to effectively meet their needs becomes the main problem. 

For the second part of the assignment, I was asked to engage in conversation for fifteen minutes without any physical embellishments. When I had first explained what we would be doing to Scythia, she laughed. Everyone who knows me can testify that I am a facially expressive person. My coworkers describe myself as a human emoji. You will always know what I am feeling because my face says it all. With this in mind, I knew that this set of rules would be challenging to follow. The following topics were discussed: living situations and a confrontation at Scythia’s work. Scythia began the conversation by claiming that her living situation often time feels unbearable due to having a roommate. She explained using instances, where I would then slip a smirk or slight raise of the brows. Anytime that I did slip, she would yell at me to stop. Each time she yelled at me, I had to focus on being monotone. I found this section equally challenging because I felt as though I came across uninterested in what she was saying. Most of the time I felt bad because I could not show any enthusiasm or empathy for any content being discussed. My partner’s response to the lack of body language can be described as grateful, for this temporary. She claimed that she did not care for the fact that I was monotone and was glad it was over. Overall, she could understand what I was saying; however, felt a lack of enthusiasm.

This experiment highlights the importance of “signs” in our language. Non-speech language techniques include gestures, body position, and eye contact.  For instance, an effective public speaker may use hand gestures during his or her speech to ease comprehension. We also see use of hand gestures in everyday conversation with others, such as a wave hello or good-bye. Speakers tend to use their hands to get their point across. Much information can be taken from a person’s body language. For instance, someone applying for a position may enthusiastically say anything that would make them appealing. But, their body position may tell a different story. Take a person who just experienced a break up for an example of eye contact. A woman may force a smile and tell her friends that she is alright, while she appears to be crying at the same time. All of the clues brought forth by body language can tell you a lot about how a person is actually feeling. Interpersonal relationships can grow with knowing how a person is actually feeling.

There is great benefit to reading body language when it comes to survival, obtaining resources, and reproducing successfully. As far as survival goes, a person can become aware of danger that may arise based on the body language of another. For instance, a police officer examines an individual's body language for clues pertaining to danger. When a person is pulled over, his or her hands should be place on the wheel to avoid suspicious behavior. If someone were to come off aggressive by the clenching of fists, then one should stay away.  Babies use their body language to obtain resources from their mother. A simple hand gesture or movement of the lips indicate that it is feeding time. Also, by reading body language, you can tell if another person finds you attractive. For instance, your date may not be saying all of the right things, but remaining close to your side with the touch of a hand will say otherwise.

There are many people that have difficulty reading body language. Some conditions that affect the ability to read body language include Asperger's Syndrome or Borderline Personality Disorder. Due to the inability to read body language, people with Asperger's will experience difficulty when interacting with others. Although they express interest in the idea of making friends, their insensitivity to other's feelings and expressions makes it increasingly difficult. Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder, on the other hand, lack the ability to interpret facial expressions. Expressions are usually interpreted in a negative manner, making it difficult to create relationships. A situation in which body language does not provide reliable information can be found within the interaction of different cultures. For example, my father married a Filipino woman when I was ten years old. At that time, I would describe myself as a picky eater, accustomed to eating the same foods each day. Whenever I stayed with my father, my stepmother would make dinner each night, which consisted of Filipino food. Based on my facial expressions, one would suggest that I did not care for Filipino food. In reality, I was not used to the new odor. However, I became quite fond of Filipino food as time went on. In this instance, my body language would not provide my stepmother with reliable information because I actually enjoyed her cooking.