I found this article interesting because of its connection to what I have previously learned in my psychology class. In high school, I took AP Psychology and learned a lot about cognitive development and the mental impact of learning languages. Those who learn two or more languages have a larger and more developed Broca's and Wernicke's area - the two areas that deal with speech and language development. The article emphasizes the importance of linguistics in cognitive development. It mentions the connection of being able to switch languages and monitor the environment, making bilinguals more advanced in that area. Also, it emphasizes the age factor in language development. Infants have a keen sense of communication and can pick up languages easier than those who are older.

            For the past decade, it seems as though globalization and the importance of being bilingual has been linked and emphasized. There are many cognitive, economic, and political reasons why being bilingual (or, multilingual) is beneficial. The world we live in in constantly developing; not to mention that we are in constant communication with people across the world. We live in a technological era where communication is vital and it is becoming easier to contact someone who may be thousands of miles away. Schools in America are increasing emphasis on learning a second or even third language. It seemed as though Americans didn't have a well-rounded knowledge of other cultures and languages. American schools are even starting to include language requirements as early as sixth or seventh grade. 

In the last journal post about Communicative Competence, I talked about how communication involves behavioral factors and interpretation. The sociocultural article discusses the cultural factors in language. Culture is a major factor in determining how people behave and interpret certain things; therefore, culture is a crucial factor in language learning. Culture and language are what we use to identify ourselves. The way we interpret events can be attributed to our cultural backgrounds. In the article, Matsumoto defines culture as a dynamic system of rules established by groups in order to insure their survival. I find that language has the same purpose - to provide a means of communication to insure certain groups of safety, etc. I found it interesting that the article pointed out that no society exists without culture. This means that no culture exists with a way of communicating.

Perceptions also play a role in our communication and interpretation. Our cultural perceptions of others determine how interpret the nature of their language. The article mentions how sometimes we perceive other cultures to be "loud", "quiet", or "conservative", etc. For example, when I performed in UR's student production Things Fall Apart, I studied and practiced Nigerian culture. It was necessary for me to understand how to speak like someone from the country. I noticed when even speaking English, how different the nature of communication is. Nigerians are very expressive in their communication, unlike in American culture and many English-speaking cultures. 

The art of diagramming sentences is something taught in many schools across America. I remember learning about the different parts of sentences and how to make the sentence tree diagram. Although I have always been good with languages and some aspects of writing, sentence structure is one area that I found to be difficult because I felt like it required logic similar to science. It is true that the ability to speak English does not mean that one can read or write well in the language - and, vice versa. The parsing method sounds very similar to the way I was learning about sentence structure in elementary school. It is a very confusing and difficult method of dissecting phrases. For someone who is learning English as a second language, I can see how it can be extremely difficult to learn.

In many other languages, sentence structure is not as important as it is in the English language, or it is just very different. In the French language, adjectives are placed after nouns and when certain adjectives are placed before nouns, it gives a sentence a completely different meaning. In other languages, aspects, such as pronouns, are not used or used differently. Someone who speaks a differently language may not be able to easily grasp the concept of diagramming english sentences. I found this article interesting because I was unaware of the widespread use of parsing in teaching grammar and sentence structure in institutions across the country. I also did not know that this practice has been used for years and it is a traditional method of teaching children grammar. The article recognizes this method while alluding to the idea of developing a less difficult and advanced method of learning about sentence structure.

FYI: The alphabet is written from right to left; however, the camera takes the "mirror image" so it appears left to right...

Here is my link to my Cultural Presentation!

Prezi: The Culture Behind Afghan Cuisine

As a French and International Business major, I have always been interested in international affairs. At an early age, I made it my goal to pursue a career in the international or government field. I started looking into opportunities with the U.S. Department of State, Embassy of France, and international corporations. I also decided that the first language I wanted to learn was French. I started taking French in the 8^th grade. At first, I performed poorly in my French class; however, as I became intrigued with the language and culture, I began to take more of an interest in learning about it. I have been taking French for over six years and it will always be my preferred foreign language. Nevertheless, I started to become fascinated with foreign languages in general. I decided that it would be enjoyable and beneficial if I began to learn more languages. The next language was Farsi.

            Farsi, or Persian, is a widely spoken language especially in Afghanistan and Iran. My interest in foreign policy and relations directed me towards learning Farsi (especially because I am interested in working for the Department of State). Although I would not change my decision to learn Farsi, the language is extremely difficult to learn. Unlike Farsi, French came easy to me after a certain amount of time because I was fascinated with the culture. Afghan and Iranian culture has caught my interest; yet, learning the language is still a hard task. Not to mention, French is a romance language and uses the same alphabet as English. The Persian alphabet is very similar to art. And, I’m not very artistic. It takes concentration and practice in order to be able to write words easily. For me (and in general), learning the alphabet is the foundation of the Persian language and without knowing the alphabet, learning words and phrases is a futile task. The Rosetta Stone in the Global Studio was also helpful in learning new vocabulary words. The visuals in the program helped me to remember the words. Also, having a language partner was very helpful because they are knowledgeable in the language and culture. MLC 105 really allowed me to explore a language that I may have otherwise not have been able to. The fact that it is “self-taught” is convenient because, as a business school major, I have a heavy course load and I’m taking French classes. Therefore, learning another language in a classroom setting would have been too much pressure. With MLC 105, I was able to develop a learning plan and learn the language at my own pace. I will definitely continue to learn Farsi and I look forward to continuing my language-learning journey.

I find it interesting how Chapters 7 and 8 of H.D. Brown's Principles of Language Learning & Teaching incorporates many psychological factors into the topic. I find the comparison between Noam Chomsky and Dell Hymes's definitions of communicative competence to be very interesting. Hymes defines it as an aspect that enables us to convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within specific contexts. Chomsky describes it as a system of linguistic knowledge. Chomsky's definition, although correct, seems more general and vague. Hymes's use of the word interpret is a crucial aspect of communicative competence. Both Chomsky and Hymes rightfully describe competence; however, Chomsky focuses on the linguistic aspects and Hymes focuses on the communicative aspects.

I also enjoyed reading about Halliday's Seven Functions of Language. When I think about why language is used, I think about communicating and conveying information to others. In a sense, conveying information to other is "a way of behaving and making other behave". For example, when you want to start a conversation with someone, you speak or "behave" in a way to get their attention while at the same time making the other person respond accordingly. This article uses words, such as interpret and behave, that reminds me that communication is not the same as language. Communication involves interpreting other and responding in an appropriate manner.

Farsi, also known as the Persian language, is an Indo-Iranian and Indo-European language. It is spoken mostly in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Each of these countries speak have a different dialect even though it is all the same language. The word 'Farsi' is derived from the word "Parsi' because the language originated in the 'Parsi' (Fars). The language was widely spoken by the Persian Empire. The Persian Language has been influenced by and given influence to many other languages. While the language has been influenced by the Arabic language, it has influenced many aspects of the Hebrew language. Persian has even incorporated minor influences from French, Russian, and English into the languages.

Throughout the semester, I have learned many different words and phrases in Farsi:

Salaam      سلام

My Name is Dana      نام من دانا است

Juice      آبمیوه

Girl        دختر

Newspaper   روزنامه

Book کتاب

I am starting to become more familiar with the alphabet and letters are starting to become more recognizable; so, it is becoming easier to recognize words. Also, if you know the alphabet, you may not be familiar with a word but you still may be able to pronounce it. My goal is to continuing learning vocabulary words and phrases; however, my main priority is to master the main alphabet and half alphabet so that I can recognize words.

In Persian, in reference to telling time, the 12-hour set is used rather than the 24-hour set. The word for midnight does not exclusively refer to 12 A.M. like it does in English. It refers to anytime between 12am and sunrise.

In America, when you want to get someone's attention, you usually point at them or wave them over. In contrast, in Iran, to signal someone over you wave them over with the palm down. Also, the thumbs up notion is viewed as vulgar to many Iranians. Americans will also shake their head from left to right for no and up to down for yes. Conversely, Iranians signal yes by dipping your down with a slight turn. They signal no with a sharp nod up and down.

Dining culture in Iran is very different from that of America. Depending of the stature of the setting, you may be sitting on the floor or at a table.You may or may not have to eat using your hand. Regardless, one eats with their right hand. Also, it is polite to try at least a little bit of everything that is served. Also, in Iranian culture, Taarof is a verbal and non-verbal system of politeness. It's the idea of trying to remain as humble as possible. Compliments are not given often and if you are offered something, even if you want it, you have to first decline it.

Farsi Writing Systems

The Persian language uses an abjad writing system consisting of 32 letters only for consonants. Vowels are written with diacritics or a combination of consonant letters. The Farsi writing system is very similar to the Arabic writing system and the alphabet is similar to the Cyrillic alphabet. Farsi is written from right to left with the exception of numerals which are written from left to right. The letters are very artistic and the writing seems as though it is calligraphy.

Reflection on the Reading: "How the Brain Handles Languages"

I found it really interesting to read about the different functions and hemispheres of the brain. It surprising to know that so many parts of the brain play a role in the acquisition of a new language. When I took psychology, I learned that it was difficult to learn a language after a certain age because Broca's and Wernicke's area became smaller. However, the whole brain contributes to the learning of a new languages - not just Broca's and Wernicke's area. For example, speech production and comprehension are two aspects of language learning that rely on various parts of the brain.

               I think culture learning in language education is extremely beneficial. In order to perfect a language, one must know the context and customs behind different words and phrases. When you can understand the culture of a group of people, you will be able to understand them better. For example, you may be able to say "Hello, How are you?". However, that simple phrase may be dependent upon cultural norms. Is that phrase informal or formal? Should you say that to someone older than you? Should only say that to people you dont know? Is there a gesture that is commonly used in unison with that phrase? These are questions that could be answered if you are knowledgeable about the cultural background. Moreover, the phrase "Hello, How are you?" might not be beneficial at all if you aren't culturally aware. Also, in almost culture, communication is not solely dependent on language or speech. There are various motions and gestures that can accomodate speech and have many meanings. When learning a second language, in order to perfect communication, one has to learn and practice the culture associated with that language. Learning a foreign-language means learning new behaviors and, sometimes, a new way of life.

                I have studied French for over 6 years and have become proficient in the French language. Because French is a romance language and it is very similar to English, it was not particularly difficult for me to grasp the concepts associated with the language. I was able to learn verb tenses easily and pick up on the accents. However, I know that Farsi will be very different and it may be very difficult for me to learn because it is extremely different from English. Farsi has a foreign alphabet, unlike French, and it uses sounds that dont exist in the English language. I enjoy learning new vocabulary and helpful phrases. I enjoy learning the speaking and listening aspects more than the reading and writing. Therefore, I think I can say that I am not only a visual learner, but an auditory learner as well. I think the best way to learn Farsi is to focus on one or two areas at a time. Cultural aspects play a huge role in the differences between English, French, and Farsi. In each language, sentences are formed in different ways. Verbs are formed differently and pronouns are used in various ways. In addition, the way each language is spoken is very distinct from one another. Some French speakers are very quiet or subtle in the way they speak while Farsi speakers are very expressive and use many hand motions along with the speech.