105 Learning Journal #1

[Carlos Diaz]

As I read the sections “How the Brain handles language”, “How we analyze meaning” and “How we mean”, I could not help but reflect and connect with my studies in biology with the brain and my studies with other languages. In the section “How we mean”, the writer highlights the complexity of the word “mean” as it has different uses. I found the brief explanation of the two different natures of the word mean: Natural (abstract) and conventional (sound and reference). I found it interesting the distinction between sense and reference. I was always told that learning multiple languages not only broadens your ability to communicate, but opens many opportunities.  Interestingly, this article mentions knowing multiple languages increase your understanding of your own language, and provides a stronger sense and reference.  It also explains the impact of vocabulary and sentence structure in shaping meaning. The interaction between words and sentence structure forms our sense. In the section in “How we analyze meaning”, I liked the explanation of lexemes and collocations along with the different sense relations (synonym, antonym, etc). These two sections is helpful in shaping our language learning process because it makes us aware of how we interpret and mean stuff in our language and possibly in other language. The knowledge from these sections inform us in understanding meaning and process of meaning, which as a languages learner is useful in setting goals and forming connections with different  languages. In the third section, “How the Brain handles language”, the writers illustrate the complex city of the brain in explain the individual parts and functions of the brain to the mechanism of learning a language. It is interesting to read this section as my prior exposure to the anatomy of the brain in psychology and biology courses reiterate many facts. The usefulness of this information for the language learners is outlining the actual process of learning a language. From the step by step neurological process to tongue slips, the learner can use the information to form better lesson plans and methods of learning.