Found a very intersting article in the Wall Street Journal regarding language as a cultural influencer:
Does Language Influence Culture?
As a bilingual with a background in Psychology, I found Dr. Boroditsky’s research particularly intriguing. It’s rare that I finish an entire article of this length but I figure it’s because I’m the ideal study subject.
So what came first, you ask: language or culture?
I say while the language may be deemed part of a culture, it’s also vice versa, making culture a part of the language. The truth is that it really isn’t as simple as we think. I’ve struggled for years because of the confusion this created in my head. See, when I landed in America years ago, my ultimate goal was to become a fluent English speaker. I was that traumatized “fob” girl who couldn’t wait to get out of the ESL program. I prayed every night asking for wisdom to master the English language in three years- Yes, I gave myself three years (and let me just tell you that it took lots of sweat and tears). I thought being able to speak the language would instantly turn me into a “Twinkie” (a term used for Asian Americans born and raised in US; Yellow on the outside, White inside LOL). But the reality was that I had a hard time behaving like them, obviously because my behavioral thought process was different. Despite the compliments I received for learning the language in a short period, what I didn’t realize was that sadly, I would NEVER be able to become a Twinkie that I always dreamed of. It took me a while to accept this truth and to accept myself for who I am. At one point in my life, I looked down on “Fobs” who would only listen to Korean music and watch Korean shows. I thought to myself, ‘If they are in America, they should be into American culture, not Korean stuff.’ I know, how ignorant of me- but hey, I was young. :P
A few years later, I found myself frantically searching for the “Korean Stuff” that the “fobs” were into when I was the one to have separated myself from them. No matter how hard I tried, I would always come back to my roots. Interestingly enough, Korean pop culture started to become popular not only in Asia but among Korean Americans in the states and suddenly being Korean was hip, especially if you spoke Korean. I no longer had to try hard to become cool. I was cool. People appreciated me for my cultural background. My Twinkie friends wanted to learn the Korean ways of doing things. I no longer had to try so hard to fit in. Now they were in my world.
See, learning a new language only opened a door for me to communicate with those in the new culture. It did not help me understand their culture any better. That was another enormous task that was given to me which will take much longer to master, if that’s possible at all. but do i see those two as two separate elements? no. They are deeply interrelated and coexist, resulting in various interactions and outcomes to influence the way we lead our lives.
As for language shaping culture, I am no linguistic expert but I figure I can do a quick test. In this experiment, I am going to replace “culture” with thought process resulting in behavior.
I am going to start writing in Korean and see where this goes then return to writing in English to see if the language has affected my thought process in any way.
솔직히 말하자면 한국말로 쓰는 것이 훨씬 쉽긴 하지만 뇌라는 것이 정해진 용량이 있는 것이라 하나를 배우면 다른 하나는 잊게 되는 것이 아닌가 싶다. 지금 금방도 어떤 단어를 쓰고 싶었는데 영어로만 생각이난다. 흑… 그렇다.. 그렇게 따지면 2개국어를 하는 것이 아니라 하나를 배우게 되면서 다른 하나를 조금씩 잊어가는 것이다. 처음에 미국에 와서 영어만 하는 언니에게 물어본적이 있다. “언니는 생각도 영어로 해?” 언니가 맞다며 끄덕였다. “그럼 꿈도 영어로 꿔?” 다시 한번 끄덕인다. 그것이 세상에서 제일 부러웠다. 그리고 생각하길, ‘아, 나도 영어를 저렇게 하게되면 생각도, 꿈도 영어로 할수 있겠구나.”
몇년이지나 영어를 편하게 하게된 지금, 내가 과연 영어로 생각을 하고 꿈을 꿀까? 흠… 참 어려운 질문같다. 그렇다면 나의 행동을 좌우하는 생각을 영어로 하지 않고 한국어로 한다면 나의 행동이나 말은 한국인처럼 보여질까? 아마도 그렇지 않을까 싶다. 아무래도 미국사람들과 일을 하기에 그사람들에게서 배운 행동들을 따라할수는 있지만 그것들이 특별히 나의 생각에 따라 하는 행동이라고는 보기 어렵다.
Well, my quick experiment suggests a few findings. First of all, it took me much less to write than when I do in English. Secondly, I found myself digging deeper into thoughts. Thirdly, I became more expressive of my true feelings and thoughts, a side-effect (not necessarily a negative thing)of using a first language.
In conclusion, I would have to agree with Dr. Boroditsky’s hypothesis- language in fact affects the thought process, ultimately leading to shape behavior and furthermore, a culture.
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Lera Boroditsky is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and editor in chief of Frontiers in Cultural Psychology.
Photo Credit: Google Images
© 2010, Tomi. All rights reserved.
난 꿈을 스페니쉬로 꾼다.
킹타코가 땡긴다…흠흠