We have long been discussing how language helps us communicate thoughts, both verbally and nonverbally, but do you know sometimes your language shows something about yourself (even something that is supposed to be a secret)?
Just start to observe and come back to share with us what you find!
When I talk to elders, I always give my background away immediately. I just can’t help MIXING Taiwanese and Chinese together when talking to them! It’s significant that I come from a family where grandparents speak Taiwanese and parents speak Chinese. Speaking Taiwanese isn’t a secret to me, though. Unlike some of the urban children, I feel proud to be able to speak Taiwanese. The only problem maybe that once elders found I can speak Taiwanese, they are always eager to chat with me, and I soon RAN OUT OF Taiwanese vocabularies! That’s really frustrating.
ReplyDeleteWe say that language is a tool for people to communicate with others.Although my family members sometimes talk to children in Taiwnese,we just can‘t use Taiwanese very well and we usually say Taiwanese with Chinese mixed in it because I don‘t know some worlds in Taiwanese and I always say Chinese in school.Even though I say Taiwanese mixed with Chinese mixed in it,my grandmother,who unable to say Chinese,can understand what I say.I agree that language is an important tool to communicate so I will try my best to learn Taiwanese to know more about the culture and Taiwan‘s history behind my mother tongue.
ReplyDeleteName:何家瑜
DeleteWe may have difficulties using fluent language which we are not accustomed to ,but we may probably understand what they say through their parlanguages. In normal family of Taiwanese area,members usually have ability to communicate to each other through both Maderin Chinese and Taiwanese because of the background of their parents. In my everyday life, I almost lived with my grandparents. We can communicate or specifically chat with each other.
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ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I’m a Taiwanese, but I don’t have a good command of Taiwanese. Once, I got lost in Tainan, and I asked of the direction using Taiwanese. Instead of guiding me, the stranger asked a question in reply, ’Are you a Taiwanese?’ (Oh! IT REALLY HURT ME! Not until then did realize how terrible my Taiwanese was.) Fortunately, my grandparents are much smarter than that guy. They always understand what I ’m talking about when using Taiwanese.
ReplyDeleteAnd, there is a secret about myself. Everytime when I ‘m figuring out one word to describe in Taiwanese, the very first word to come to my mind is always an English word. Likewise, when I ‘m talking to foreigners, there are always the Taiwanese vocabulary existing in my brain. ( Does anyone have the same problem? XD)
Have you ever want to hide a secret and let it being expose in the end? Perhaps you are not doing it on purpose , but what you had said(your language)just slip it out.Take me for example, when I was young, I used to said something that has been told to be a secret. I remember in my grade two of elementary school ,and I said a things that must be forbidden.As a consequence, it end up in to a tremendous disaster. After the catastrophe,I have learned how important it is to keep a secret. In short, it is vital to use properly in language.
ReplyDeleteSecret? Um...I born in Taiwan, raised in Taiwan, and almost all of my relatives speak Chinese--with Taichung accent(I'm fond of this accent ) --and Taiwanese, However, I'm not good at Taiwanese; what's worse, I spoke Chinese with a peculiar accent as if I were from China!! I've been asked several time whether I born in a family from China or something like that...(NOOOOOO!!!!!)
ReplyDeleteThus I began to try, trying very hard speaking with Taichung accent. However, when I thought I finally got rid of this peculiar accent, a friend of mine told me she thought me to be born in a 外省 family as we met the first time in senior high...(QWQ)(WHY???!!!!!)
Name:羅郁婷
ReplyDeleteIntentionally or not, we keep showing how we think or showing something deep in our heart via many methods. During the process of socialization, I tend to use honorific when talking to someone we respect; while mentioning my love ones, I'll use "we" instead "he and I", which unintentionally shows that we're having a great relationship, and vice versa. Likewise, if I call someone's last name instead of first name, it means I'm not familiar to he or she or I don't even like this person. The word we use reveals how we truely think or what's in our mind. If we can make use of this, we'd be able to get to know someone thoroughly within just few minutes.
name:林庭亘
ReplyDeleteWhen I talk to a friend, the words I choose to use will be more "myself" style,but when I talk to a stranger,I will use words which can keep the distance between the stranger and I.I think it always can show others if I am close enough with them and how is the relationship between they and I.Also,body language as gestures can show my feelings so obviously.Like the time I was on the stage to finish my final project presentation,I showed my nervous feeling with my gesture accidentally that my left hand kept touching my right hand's fingers.Examples above show that language can be so powerful showing others' secrets or feelings easily though when the moment that you don't want others find out that you are being nervous.
Name:黃平心
ReplyDeleteI think the language can tell where you are from, or what kind of person you are. For example, when west people are talking, they may have many gestures. But Japanese do not. And it indicates Japanese have more personal distance. In addition, there are different meanings of some gesture in different areas. For instance, shaking head means rejection in some areas, but it means “Yes” or “Okay” in India. It is obvious that culture is behind our language.