The cultural dimensions of learning Gujarati are intertwined and molded by Indian culture as a whole. I have learned so far that respect for those who are older and wiser, as well as family reputation are major factors in Gujarati culture. The language conforms around social hierarchy. For example, within sibling relationships, some people love their siblings and some do not. Despite this fact, individuals who are younger refer to their older siblings differently than they would respond to their younger siblings. It isn’t so much about power as it is about social boundaries.
Additionally, culturally, there are differences based on how you refer to different family members and friends of the family. For example, I would refer to my dad’s brother (kaka) differently than my mom’s brother (mama). I find this exceedingly interesting as this also represents social boundaries, and the English language doesn’t have these boundaries within the language.
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