We talked in class and read about last week how language can shape the way we think. I strongly believe that this is the most important aspect of language learning. I also think that language learning is a necessity in cultural immersion. In order to fully immerse yourself in a new culture or place, it is imperative that you understand the nuances of the language as well. I thought it was really interesting to learn about the many similarities between Mandarin and American Sign Language in terms of sentence structure and not having tenses. I also found the differences between deaf culture and the Gonja people to be fascinating. Something as simple as eye contact can be perceived so differently in different cultures. With the Gonja people, eye contact with an elder is hugely disrespectful; however, without eye contact in signed languages, communication becomes impossible. After this language panel, I am interested in learning more about tonal languages and communication. I have never learned anything resembling a tonal language and am curious to understand my own linguistic capabilities. Overall I found the panel to be very impressive; it was great to see so many different cultures and linguistic styles in the same room teaching us.
