Language Blog

Language Blog

           I found this experiment VERY difficult for the reason that I'm so use to just saying whatever it is that I want or need. I felt the need to say something while I was trying to only use hand signals to my friends, but I had to stop myself. It was very hard communicating with my friends, especially with the fact that they weren't really able to understand what my hand signals meant. My friends impressions seemed somewhat impatient like they wanted so much to understand what I wanted to say, but couldn't make out my hand signals that easily. Yes, they had to alter their way of communicating by talking a little slower than usually and our conversations were pretty basic and easy going instead of a more intellectual conversation that we would be able to have verbally. If we were from different cultures, I believe the speaking culture would have the better advantage of complex ideas because their able to explain what their trying to say and give better and more understandable explanations. Some attitudes that the speaking culture would have towards the culture that wasn't able to speak would most likely be frustration. It was hard when my friends were trying to understand what I was signing to them so I can imagine the same for them. When someone that can only use American Sign Language is trying to sign to someone who does know sign and can only use language is very difficult and complicated. The person that can speak, doesn't understand what the other is signing which forces them to point at things or just nod their heads trying to make it easier for them to understand. For example; at work I sometimes get customers who sign and Its very hard for me to understand what their asking for since I don't know how to sign. We both end up pointing at things and I find my self trying to sign the easiest things that I can think of. It's very difficult trying to communicate and understand with those who sign since Im not very familiar with sign language.

              I was only able to last about 10 minutes for this assignment! What made it so difficult was the fact that I am so use to hand gestures and I always tend to move my hands while Im speaking. Its a habit that I always do so for me to stop, it was VERY difficult. Especially with that fact that while we speak we also show emotions so not being able to smile or raise eyebrows and having the same tone in voice was always very difficult while speaking to my friends. Its only a natural instinct to show expressions on our face so I feel that that was probably the most difficult while communicating. After awhile my partners found our communication very boring. With no expressions or body motions is was like they were talking to a wall. I think its very important when we use signs in our language because it shows more of a direct point and gives attention when were trying to communicate. Since Im one of the biggest hand gestures and I always have to move my hands while I speak I feel that its a way to express what I'm trying to say in a more vivid way. I think its a natural ability for humans to read body language, but maybe for those who can't see it, such as the blind. Some adaptive benefits to possessing the ability to read body language is easily figuring out how someone is feeling by their movements of body, not necessarily language. You can tell someones emotions by their body language which gives us humans a better understanding of our population.