Blogs

I really enjoyed reading about Sociocultural Factors and how these relate to culture and language learning. When the authors talk about stereotypes, I realized that while abroad, many people take the image of America as portrayed in the media and think that Americans "are all rich, informal, materialistic, overly friendly, and drink coffee."  They also see American women as "loose" in comparison based on movies like American pie. When I was abroad, I remember a few times in bars where I would introduce myself and my country of origin, and I would get more attention than I wanted. By the end of my experience I had learned not to provide that fact and don a British accent when I spoke (in French or in English). This one change in my behavior changed others perception of me, and I was seen as more respectable and high and mighty!

  Secondly, I can definitely relate to this idea on p. 194 that when one learns a new language, one also inadvertently forms a new, second identity.  This process of learning a language also involves learning the culture, and conforming to that culture changes ways of thinking and feeling and socially acceptable responses. For example, when Americans get on the metro, they are often loud and boisterous, because in our culture this is acceptable. In French, a policy of respect for others' privacy and social space includes keeping noise levels to a minimum. Therefore, as one learns French, and boards the metro in France, a normally boisterous American may easily appear more reserved and professional.  There is a quote from River Town that I think perfectly describes this formation of a new identity:

"I never changed my Chinese name, but I sensed the ease with which my Chinese identity became distinct from my American self. Eventually, I came to think of myself as two people, Ho Wei and Peter Hessler. Ho Wei wasn't really a person until my second year in Fuling, but as time passed I realized that he was becoming most of my identity: apart from my students, colleagues, and other foreigners, everybody knew me strictly as Ho Wei, and they knew me strictly in Chinese. Ho Wei was completely different from my American self: he was friendlier, he was eager to talk with anybody, and he took great pleasure in even the most inane conversations. In a simple way he was funny, by saying a few words in the local dialect he could be endlessly entertaining to the people in Fueling. Also Ho Wei was stupid, which was what I liked most about him. He spoke with an accent, he had lousy grammar, and he laughed at the simple mistakes that he made. People were comfortable with somebody that stupid, and the found it easy to talk to Ho Wei, even though they often had to say things twice or write new words in his notebook..."

After studying abroad in France, I see palpable ways in which I am Bruyère ("heather" in French), this French-speaking, fun-loving, silly, outgoing, somewhat pretentious, crepe-loving, explorer of life, and how I am Heather, a quiet, kind, selfless, responsible, religious, conservative, determined lover of knowledge.  I feel like Superman in the sense that having both identities is like being both Clark Kent and Superman at once.  However, themore time I spend in one culture, the more that identity is cultivated over the other. It is an interesting question: would I be the same person if I were born somewhere else?

Family is very very important in Karnatka. A woman will leave her family and be absorbed into her husband's family. Mothers and Fathers will live with the youngest son and he will take care of them into their old age. Cousins are often called brother or sister. While all adults are "antie and uncle" there are special words for your mother's sister and husband and your father's brother and wife. They are considered special because tradition/myths in the region said that one's mother's sister and father's brother were related to them by blood where as one's mother's brother and father's sister had more distant physical connections. Also there is a holiday in the region called Raksha Bandhan where a sister ties a rakhi (a sacred thread) around her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother and the brother's vow to protect his sister. Family is very important in Karnatka. 

Sister tying the rakhi to her brother's writs. 

T

The focus of my Swedish studies has not been writing but nonetheless I have expanded my writing skills through the reading that I have done most recently through blogs and news articles. For this artifact I wanted to pick a sample of writing that would allow me to practice translating English into Swedish in a manner that could be possible in the future. Although my initial goal was to be able to write in a more formal manner I decided that a news article would be more appropriate based on my readings this term.

Below is my translation of an English news article about Sweden on a English speakers expatriate website where articles are written about Swedes or Swedish culture in English.Here is the link to the original article: http://www.thelocal.se/40314/20120417/ and the series of photographs for which I provide a translation as well: http://www.thelocal.se/gallery/stockholm/2360/

Translation:

Fen saker du borde vet om Stockholm

Tror du att du känna Stockholm? Kolla The LOcal's list av den fem saker du borde veta om den Svenska kapital.

Kallade av många som Veizen om Norden, och kändes till andra bara som en annan Nordisk stad med blonda köttbulle ättare, Stockholm är en stad som "trolla" upp båda fantasier och mardrömer, beroende på hvor du sitter.

Vad som helst, The Local ha samlats en list av 5 enkla saker om Stockholm som alla måsta veta.

OBS: Listen kanske inte sitter bra med läsare frå Götenborg. Eller Oslo. Eller Köbenhavn.

Klicka här för The Local's list av 5 aker du måsta veta om Stockholm.

Bild 1:

Stockholmare är okänt om dera stad, så mycket att även en omnämnande om Sveriges näst störste stad (Göteborg, västa Sverige) kan resultera i en bitande svar, i allvarlig situationer- förnekelse av sitt existens. Ja, Stockholmare hatar Göteborgare.

Bild 2:

Stockholmska män är den sexigaste män i hela världen i den senaste forskning, och kvinnorna fick andra plats för tjejer. Och, dom är kläd att dö. Så, fixa ditt hår och din smink, annars ska du stanna ut som en mörbultad tumma.

Bild 3:

Där finns en stor exodus i Juli (vecka 29), när Stockholmare packa upp och åka för en liten by som heter Visby på Gotland. Så, var säkart att hålla din scheme åpent för "Stockholm vecka," för att den är den bästa tid att åka runt i kapitalen, eller, den bästa tiden att se Gotland.

Bild 4:

Dom flesta av tunnelbananen stationer i den Stockholm är pyntade med konst- målningar, skulpturer, och mosaiker som liva upp passagerares dagar när dom åker runt staden.

Bild 5:

Den är den Skandinavisk kapital!

In Karnataka time seems to be more fluid than in the US. I spent my time in rural Karnataka and in small cities (small by Indian standards). People seemed to take a lot longer to do a lot of things. Because of a lack or scarcity of electricity, running water, etc. things move more slowly so people expect things to move more slowly. Time seems to be split between work and not work. People spend hours on end in the rice patty fields or cooking a meal that will be enjoyed at dinner. When work is done time with family and friends takes over. If you enter someone's home even for a moment you have to sit down and drink chi and maybe eat some food and talk. There's no swing by and pick up a hammer and drop it off later. The idea of "being in a hurry" doesn't apply when it comes to spending time with people. Thus time takes a back seat to relationships where as here time often takes precedent. "I'd love to stay and talk, but I've really gotta fly" is not a phrase one will hear in Karnatka. Time is relative ;) 

Chatting and Chi in Karnataka

Communicative competence goes beyond learning the root meanings of words and the phonology of producing them. It reaches beyond grammar and syntax and form and demands that the speaker use the correct function of words in the correct context.  This is the difference between verbal language proficiency and the basic pragmatics of interpersonal skills. For example, a little child when they are growing up may not always get the words exactly correct, but they always seem to get their meaning across.  They use pointing at an object with just one word, "Ball" to convey either a declarative function (that is a ball) or an imperative function (I want the ball).  Thus it is apparent that words depend on context and their meaning is subject to their intended function.  Sometimes phrases are used to represent otehr things, or sometimes connect inter-personally, sometimes to acquire knowledge, and sometimes to play with the imagination. Knowing the word and the intended function is important in deciphering overall meaning and conveying language competence. Being able to also include cultural aspects of context within the function of the phrase conveys cultural competence. For example, in Turkey, one can say goodbye, I will see you later and also say "In sh'alla" - "If Allah wills." Ending the conversation with, I will see you in sh'alla includes a cultural context and fits into the script used in greetings in that culture.

In order to meet my learning goal of improved presentational speaking, my language partner and I decided to perform a mock interview in Swedish where I was challenged to use formal Swedish and present myself in a job interview. This was one of the most challenging experiences this semester.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JCqWa4sLok&feature=youtu.be

Heather and I decided that we would do henna for our cultural project. Henna is commonly used for weddings in Karnatka (the Indian state where Kannada is spoken). Henna designs combine shapes and patterns with meaningful symbols. For example, my sister (who lives in India) told me that the peacock symbolizes fertility. This symbol is important because henna is to make the bride beautiful for her wedding night and the hope is that the couple will be fertile. 

Heather and I want to use important symbols in our henna design to tell as story. The story we want to tell is about how God made people, people did evil things that deserved punishment, but  that while God in his justice couldn't just ignore their wrong, God's love made away for His justice and wrath to be satisfied through the death of Jesus, thus allowing people who put faith in Jesus to be with God forever in love and harmony with Him and one another. 

Our goal is to be able to tell this story in Kannada through henna =) This is my hand after a first trial run with the symbols and the story =) 

I chose to write a blog post on the devadasi women and the issue of sex-trafficking in connection with ritual sex and shrine prostitution that plagues the South Indian state of Karnatka, where Kannada is spoken. The tradition of devadasi (which means maidservants of god in Kannada) , is one that no one knows the exact origin of. While people don't know when the practice started scholars agree that at the outset devadasi women and girls served in the temples as dancers, singers, companions for priests and wealthy men and as cleaners in the temples. Prostitution has always been a part of being a devadasi and it is a heartbreaking reality for tens of thousands of women and girls.

Girls are sent to the temple between the ages of 8-10. They start work as prostitutes between the ages of 11-13. They have sex with the Hindu priests as well as with worshipers of the goddess Yemena. When the girls become too old they are kicked out on the street and forced into prostitution to earn food. No one will give them other jobs within the Hindu community. Segregation between Muslim and Hindu communities make it almost impossible for them to find employment in the Muslim community. Most will die of HIV AIDS. Many have multiple children from the temple prostitution and on their children's birth cirtificates it says "Father- devaru (god)" because their father is unknown to them. 

Children by a temple in Karnatka 

After watching Culture Shock, I was struck by some very pertinent issues relevant to incoming international students. First of all, internationals coming into the United States may at first experience the euphoria of being in a new place with new customs and experiences, but after time, they come to experience a disillusionment or feeling of exclusion in a different culture. Exoticism leads to culture shock, which leads to tentative recovery, which leads to a form of assimilation or adaptation (or both).

To truly understand a language and a culture, sometimes you have to understand pop culture, and lacking knowledge of a famous movie or song could put you at in a position of confusion in a conversation. In addition, speaking in a language that is not your first tongue can be draining and difficult, because you are constantly translating from your native tongue to the target language, while you are attempting to listen to the other person and form your response. This can contribute to a hesitancy when speaking or an appearance of shyness in interpersonal conversation that is not truly characteristic of one's personality.  It was interesting as well to hear the discussion in Culture Shock about how Americans are very friendly initially, but this tampers off to indifference as the friendship develops. This is characteristic of our culture, and may disturb internationals who make friends much more slowly and intentionally. For example, the common, "Hey, how are you?" is more of a script one says when greeting than a real concern about how the other person is.  It is good for me to be aware of these differences, so that when I interact with others from another culture, I do not let me words seem different than my true feelings.

Heather uploaded the information for our in class henna presentation, but I've uploaded a photo of my hand with the "henna gospel story" on it in more detail than Heather's hand was so that you can see what it would look like if it were actually done to facilitate a cross-cultural interaction. =) 

In this presentation I discuss more formally the developments of the Swedish blog phenomenon. I discuss some of the most popular bloggers in Sweden, the topics they address and the significance it has for young men and women in Sweden.

Second artifact

Attached is my learning plan and Self Evaluation.

SDLAP_learningplanCondarco.docx

It will be hard to summarize everything I learned about Swedish culture this semester but what amazes me most about my experience this semester has been how central Swedish culture has been to my language studies. I have been able to construct a Swedish study program around various topics of interests and through conversation with my language partner. Throughout the term I have discussed such diverse topics as food, travel, tv shows, political controversies, public health, abortion debates, women's rights, immigration policies, and much more. I have learned so much about in these areas that have revealed a little more about the way Swedes perceive what is right or wrong, acceptable, politically controversial, and socially appropriate. I have learned more about the responsibilities of the state and of citizens and how this reflects concepts of equity, an idea I find that has permeated many aspects of Swedish culture.

There is also a strong desire to remain transparent, open, and responsible in politics, environmental policies and immigration policies. These are only some of the broader ideas I encountered during my studies of Swedish culture and language. Furthermore, I found the structure of Swedish language to reflect the need to cooperate and build upon social and linguistic foundations. Words are usually created by adding root words to create longer more intricate concepts. I find this most fascinating and see similar word structures in languages such as German and other north-Germanic languages.

Through the other cultural presentations presented in class I have learned more about other cultures and realize there were other areas addressed in these presentations which would be very interesting to explore within Swedish culture such as music and entertainment.

Another very Swedish concept is that of "fika." In Sweden it is common to take pauses throughout the day to drink a coffee or grab a sweet/salty snack in order to unwind from other activities in good company. This has become a common tradition both in the workplace where "fika" pauses might be taken in the morning and afternoon with entire staff designations in a certain room known appropriately as "fika rooms." Fika is not meant to last very long or to interrupt a school day but it is meant to be a leisure activity where socializing is prioritized and be a stress free period of time. There are many ways to fika, and many do so during the school day or at home, and out on town.

Fika is not just a delicious way of taking time from the day to unwind, it is also a cultural activity that reflects Swedish understandings of work ethic and leisure time. Swedes have designated certain times of the day and year to certain activities and their is very little overlap between said activities. The best example is Swedish work ethic which is efficient and effective and from which Swedes are allowed to take on average 6-8 weeks of vacation every year. Vacations are spent relaxing and enjoying the Swedish summer, family, or other holidays to the fullest. Swedes know how to enjoy their leisure time and multi-tasking diverse things like work, eating, and personal life at the same moment is frowned upon and regarded as necessary.

Below is a very funny video that addresses the concept of Fika to a non-Swedish audience.

"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viPsC5rc1Fg

Cultural Competence: 

A part of understanding a language that is not your own is being able to understand certain aspects around the strict language itself, such as the appropriate structural characteristics of communication, which vary from one language to another due to differences in culture surrounding a language. Language is more than just learning vocabulary and grammar, it is learning how this vocabulary is used in certain contexts in certain cultures and in other contexts in a different cultures. According to page 219 of the article, cultural competence is: "competence that enables us to convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within specific contexts".

There are many aspects to non-verbal communication. One example in particular that I thought was relevant to my language was the non-verbal messages of "artifacts". The choice of clothing a person chooses to wear is highly reflective of a person's character, socioeconomic class, and level of conservatism. In Turkey, women who are more conservative muslims tend to cover their heads with a scarf and wear less revealing clothing compared to more liberal women (who dress like most Westerners). Women can choose to wear a scarf or not in Turkey, therefore if they do wear one it way be because of family/marital pressures or because she has certain beliefs. The act of wearing certain things and not other things is thus a non-verbal form of communication that will cause a person to adapt what he/she says or the body language that he/she will use according to this artifact. Care will be given to not upset the person being addressed, in order to avoid a cultural clash.

To be polite in Sweden there is a very particular phrase which reflects the idea that things must be done in moderation in just the right amount. This concept is known as "lagom." For many Swedes the term "lagom" is not translatable. This word does not exist in other Scandinavian languages and can refer to both physical amounts but also can be used to describe a certain lifestyle. Lagom is understood as a fine balance between extremes and the middle way. There is debate amongst Swedes whether "Lagom och Svensk" (Lagom and Swedish) is actually a good or bad thing as it denotes a certain dullness or boredom. Whatever the debate, there is a certain understanding that to be polite in Sweden is to avoid conflict and work towards a collective. The origin of the world "lagom" according to the Swedish Academy is very interesting as the word lag is the word for law and team. Dating back to the Viking era, when leaders used to sit around a table as a "lag"=team and pass around= "om" food or drink to share in which lagom came to be identified with moderation to support the collective.

The concept of "lagom" is referred to in daily life and most displays of exuberant or extreme behaviors are frowned upon especially when they may disrupt a certain ambiance or exchange. In addition to the concept of "lagom" to be polite in conversation there is no longer use of formal words that distinguish individuals with titles. Mr. Ms. Mrs. Sir and Madame have diminished in usage since the 1960s where language reforms did away with the forma usage of 'ni' or the equivalent of 'vous' in French. In Swedish it is polite to refer to individuals by their first name although many find this uncomfortable coming from cultures that commonly use the last name in academic and professional settings. It is also rude to be 'over-the-top' and ostentatious in taste and dress. In the US where being overdressed is better than being under-dressed, in Sweden one might say that erring on the under-dressed side is more appropriate than standing out.

The cultural presentations were very interesting since I was able to learn about many facets of cultures I dis not know very well, such as the Korean culture, the Israeli culture, and the Afghan culture. While listening to the presentations and preparing my own Turkish cultural presentation, I was able to notice many overlaps in cultures that are very different from each other. The overlaps in similarities do not stem from the types of foods or such things but rather from the behavioral patterns. From the cultures that were presented, many of them were collectivist cultures, which favor the well-being of the group compared to personal successes. These are also societies which grant a large amount of importance on the respect for elders, and chastity and modesty of women. This previous example is just one of many overlaps but overall, I would say it was interesting to see how countries found on opposite sides of the world can share so much in common.

The best part of my language learning was the work I did with Haktan, my language partner. I started the semester with four other women who were taking the course for personal interests but I ended the semester with only one woman. The fact that many people dropped the class was a bit discouraging, and even though this meant that I had more one-on-one time with Haktan, it changed the classroom dynamic.

We met on a weekly basis, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00am to 10:00am. The reason I particularly enjoyed the time in the classroom was because it was difficult to allocate the same amount of time every day to learning on your own; therefore I ending up practicing my language less regularly but for larger amounts of time. I do realize that this is not the best way but it is easier to learn in a formal classroom setting compared to alone in your room or the library. It is less awkward and if I had any questions, I had someone who speaks fluently available to help me. Haktan taught many different aspects of the language, from vocabulary to conjugations, by providing me with visual aids and handouts. The most useful part of the learning process was the role-playing since we had to enact real life situations. Haktan put on a lot of focus on making the material we learned useful to real life situations. This was good because now when I go back to Turkey, I feel like I am more equipped to communicate with others and better understand the culture. Discussing different aspects of the Turkish culture with Haktan was interesting since he is quite conservative compared to most Turkish people I met and befriended while in Turkey.

Overall, the process of learning Turkish was more difficult than I anticipated. While looking back at my learning plan, I have accomplished a lot but I did not meet all my goals. I can understand overall meanings of sentences but I wish I knew more specific vocabulary words on their own. I reached my interpretive reading goal since I am able to read everything in Turkish, even if I cannot understand it all. My speaking goals were met, but I still struggle with some letters that are similar but different from letters found in the English alphabet.

This semester was very interesting and I hope to continue my language learning outside the classroom by returning to Turkey one day! 

For my cultural presentation I have considered presenting several different subjects but as I thought more and more about one example of a Swedish concept or activity that exemplified more than just a cursory example of Swedish culture. I decided to focus on a topic I was familiar with before from a story told by a Swedish friend. He shared with me that as a young boy he and his family would spend their summers in their summer house about 1 hour outside of Ystad. In this summer house they would wake up on several occasions to pitched tents in their backyard. Before his parents would have a chance to say anything, the campers would come out and shout "Allemansrätten! Allemansrätten!" These campers were German tourists who were very familiar with the very Swedish concept of Allemansrätten. This curious and humorous anecdote led me to do a more research and very soon I a convinced this was the topic I would address for my cultural presentation. I really enjoy reading about this and I hope to explore this topic further through resources published by the Swedish government and different nature organizations.

Learning Goals:

1. Learn more about the historical origins of allemansrätten.

2. The 'unwritten' rules associated with this concept.

3. The controversies surrounding the implementation or acceptance of allemansrätten.

4. Develop specific vocabulary related to nature.

Here is a link to a television commercial that alludes to Allemansrätten in a creative way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIiFldlbBrQ

Swedish public health is a particularly interesting topic for me because of my personal interests in the area. Swedne's healthcare system is recognized around the world as one of the most affordable and accessible in the world. There are no costs for healthcare, with only dew exceptions in dentistry after a certain age.

One of the most well known Swedish researchers Han Rosling is a leader in public health research. In the video below he speaks about public health and how countries' resources are prioritized differently. Rosling also speaks about his own personal experience on a trip in Mozambique where insects such as the mosquito have a detrimental affect on healthcare.

http://whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SXsUCVVAcM