tIME TO BREAK THE BARRIER
PRESENCE OF A BARRIER
In my personal narrative discussing my trip visiting the Maasai tribe in Africa, I explore the effects of interacting with another culture in which there is no shared lingual ground. This experience inspired many questions and inquiries about communication and language barriers. With the help of Suresh Canaragarajah’s work, Translingual Practice, and Bronwyn Williams’ text on Literacy & Identity, I come to a very specific argument regarding the definition of communication and the true effects of a lingual barrier. My experience and those written by these two wonderful authors will help support my argument and strengthen the power behind writing from different identities created by lingual barriers, as well as connecting different languages together to create a new form of dialogue.
In my personal narrative discussing my trip visiting the Maasai tribe in Africa, I explore the effects of interacting with another culture in which there is no shared lingual ground. This experience inspired many questions and inquiries about communication and language barriers. With the help of Suresh Canaragarajah’s work, Translingual Practice, and Bronwyn Williams’ text on Literacy & Identity, I come to a very specific argument regarding the definition of communication and the true effects of a lingual barrier. My experience and those written by these two wonderful authors will help support my argument and strengthen the power behind writing from different identities created by lingual barriers, as well as connecting different languages together to create a new form of dialogue.
WHAT DOES CANAGARAJAH'S SAY?
Within Canagarajah’s text he explores the writing of one of his Saudi Arabian students who’s work includes code-meshing, as she uses both English and Arabic dialect. This, to her, felt like the best way to express her perspective, as it involves multiple cultures and languages. She starts out her literacy autobiography with a line of Arabic writing, and then comments and questions in English what experiences she actually wants to write about. To some this technique could seem strange, but to others, like myself, this code-meshing is absolutely fitting because we live in such a diverse and multilingual world.
All of the languages someone speaks become a part of who they are as a person and can affect how they choose to represent themselves. In Canagrajah’s personal interview with his student, she considered, “a merging of all her linguistic repertoires as most effectively representing her identities and objectives”. Speaking from a multilinguistic perspective, I agree with this student’s point of view. I speak English, French, and Spanish, and I believe they all make up my identity. Canagarajah’s use of the word monolingual orientation is very limited in expression, and actually very uncommon in today’s world. We live in a world filled with over 5,000 distinct spoken languages, all different, and none better or worse than another (Anderson). Actually, more often than not, there are people that speak more than just one language. Being multilingual has been embedded in many cultures for thousands of years, and continues to be a tradition today. Families, like mine, start teaching their children up to 3 languages from the moment they are born. This multilingualism can end up expanding and intensifying one’s understanding of life and affect how they view themselves and other cultures. Canagarajah explores “recent forms of globalization [that] have given more visibility to such forms of [translingual] communication” (Canagarajah 2). We are currently living in an ever-changing nation in which new ways to communicate are being developed, created, and translated. At the touch of a button on our I-phones, we can get the meaning of a sentence in a foreign language within seconds.
Within Canagarajah’s text he explores the writing of one of his Saudi Arabian students who’s work includes code-meshing, as she uses both English and Arabic dialect. This, to her, felt like the best way to express her perspective, as it involves multiple cultures and languages. She starts out her literacy autobiography with a line of Arabic writing, and then comments and questions in English what experiences she actually wants to write about. To some this technique could seem strange, but to others, like myself, this code-meshing is absolutely fitting because we live in such a diverse and multilingual world.
All of the languages someone speaks become a part of who they are as a person and can affect how they choose to represent themselves. In Canagrajah’s personal interview with his student, she considered, “a merging of all her linguistic repertoires as most effectively representing her identities and objectives”. Speaking from a multilinguistic perspective, I agree with this student’s point of view. I speak English, French, and Spanish, and I believe they all make up my identity. Canagarajah’s use of the word monolingual orientation is very limited in expression, and actually very uncommon in today’s world. We live in a world filled with over 5,000 distinct spoken languages, all different, and none better or worse than another (Anderson). Actually, more often than not, there are people that speak more than just one language. Being multilingual has been embedded in many cultures for thousands of years, and continues to be a tradition today. Families, like mine, start teaching their children up to 3 languages from the moment they are born. This multilingualism can end up expanding and intensifying one’s understanding of life and affect how they view themselves and other cultures. Canagarajah explores “recent forms of globalization [that] have given more visibility to such forms of [translingual] communication” (Canagarajah 2). We are currently living in an ever-changing nation in which new ways to communicate are being developed, created, and translated. At the touch of a button on our I-phones, we can get the meaning of a sentence in a foreign language within seconds.
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION, AFTER ALL?
Since our world has been based on communication for centuries, the what actually defines communication? Can no actual words be necessarily exchanged? Can it be verbal or nonverbal? Does it differ among different cultures? All of these questions can be answered with a “yes”. I believe that communication is definitely not limited to just words, but also includes hand gestures, movements, song, dance, and energy. As defined in the dictionary, communication is represented as a means of connecting with people or places (Merriam-Webster). Our role in communicating with others is just that—to make a connection.
If communication grows upon the connection between human beings, in what ways does this shape an individual? We are usually impacted by the experiences that make us feel superior to others or less than them. It is an interesting concept to think about what specific experiences make a story worth telling. Canagarajah’s student even ponders, “Which experiences should I value, which shall I consider, and which shall I ignore” (Canagarajah 1). I find lingual interactions and barriers often result in one of these two feelings- either understanding exactly what someone else is saying, or having absolutely no clue what they are talking about. Williams explores the latter feeling with the identity of being the victim of a stigma. He describes that such people, “[see] themselves as being invisible or use metaphors about being unclear or outcast from the world of literacy” (Williams 344). Williams illustrates this thought by generalizing the idea that as most students write, they create an identity for themselves, and this identity is what makes the story interesting and worth telling.
Since our world has been based on communication for centuries, the what actually defines communication? Can no actual words be necessarily exchanged? Can it be verbal or nonverbal? Does it differ among different cultures? All of these questions can be answered with a “yes”. I believe that communication is definitely not limited to just words, but also includes hand gestures, movements, song, dance, and energy. As defined in the dictionary, communication is represented as a means of connecting with people or places (Merriam-Webster). Our role in communicating with others is just that—to make a connection.
If communication grows upon the connection between human beings, in what ways does this shape an individual? We are usually impacted by the experiences that make us feel superior to others or less than them. It is an interesting concept to think about what specific experiences make a story worth telling. Canagarajah’s student even ponders, “Which experiences should I value, which shall I consider, and which shall I ignore” (Canagarajah 1). I find lingual interactions and barriers often result in one of these two feelings- either understanding exactly what someone else is saying, or having absolutely no clue what they are talking about. Williams explores the latter feeling with the identity of being the victim of a stigma. He describes that such people, “[see] themselves as being invisible or use metaphors about being unclear or outcast from the world of literacy” (Williams 344). Williams illustrates this thought by generalizing the idea that as most students write, they create an identity for themselves, and this identity is what makes the story interesting and worth telling.
LET'S TAKE ACTION!!
Whereas I started feeling like a victim of the language barrier stigma, I transitioned into being, what Williams describes, a resister. William’s defines this as someone, “who rebel[s] against the established hierarchy or values of literacy”. That said, I didn’t let myself feel like a “helpless victim” around the Maasai, but instead took action in order to communicate with them, regardless of any barrier present. Williams continues his description of this type of person as, “[someone who] choose[s] to dismiss the values and assignments of the mainstream education, while often displaying what they consider their true literacy talents” (Williams 344).
In my personal literary narrative, I explore my experience spending a day with the Maasai Tribe in Kenya, Africa. Although a part of me did feel the stigma of being a victim of their language because I did not understand a word of their native tongue, nor could speak it, this did not stop us from communicating. With my experience in Africa communicating with the Maasai tribe, I was able to connect with this group regardless of the language barrier that was present. I didn’t want to be a victim or an outsider, but instead a motivator to create this connection. I wanted to create a new identity for myself in this story that I knew I would someday tell. Could it be because I felt like I just had one day with them, or that I would have had less motivation had there not been any barrier? There will always be many different sources of motivation, but mine was centered on the inquiry that I felt to try and understand the Maasai, regarding their language, culture, and way of life.
Whereas I started feeling like a victim of the language barrier stigma, I transitioned into being, what Williams describes, a resister. William’s defines this as someone, “who rebel[s] against the established hierarchy or values of literacy”. That said, I didn’t let myself feel like a “helpless victim” around the Maasai, but instead took action in order to communicate with them, regardless of any barrier present. Williams continues his description of this type of person as, “[someone who] choose[s] to dismiss the values and assignments of the mainstream education, while often displaying what they consider their true literacy talents” (Williams 344).
In my personal literary narrative, I explore my experience spending a day with the Maasai Tribe in Kenya, Africa. Although a part of me did feel the stigma of being a victim of their language because I did not understand a word of their native tongue, nor could speak it, this did not stop us from communicating. With my experience in Africa communicating with the Maasai tribe, I was able to connect with this group regardless of the language barrier that was present. I didn’t want to be a victim or an outsider, but instead a motivator to create this connection. I wanted to create a new identity for myself in this story that I knew I would someday tell. Could it be because I felt like I just had one day with them, or that I would have had less motivation had there not been any barrier? There will always be many different sources of motivation, but mine was centered on the inquiry that I felt to try and understand the Maasai, regarding their language, culture, and way of life.
MY STORY
In my story I describe a moment when a Maasai man is trying to communicate with my family and me, and we pay very close attention to try and understand what he is saying. I wrote, “One of the men walked up to my mom and pointed to me, then to himself, then showed us a five on his hand, and the pointed to a cattle of cows, just across the way” (Gergely 3). Although this specific moment did not involve a single exchange in words, it was still a form of communication. Part of communicating is having the patience and really trying to take the time to get into the other person’s mind and decipher what they are trying to express. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to try and communicate with someone who doesn’t understand your native language. The Maasai used hand gestures and other objects, in this case cows, to support the mystery behind his words that could not be understood. With enough diligence and effort, I was able to understand. In this case, surprisingly, we were able to better communicate and connect because of the language barrier as this barrier put emphasis on a more intimate form of connection- body language. This body language opened up a new layer of vulnerability between the Maasai and me, and allowed the connection between us to flourish. It’s amazing how the human race is so inclined to finding different ways to accomplish something, if the “easy” way, in this case using words, is unavailable.
In my story I describe a moment when a Maasai man is trying to communicate with my family and me, and we pay very close attention to try and understand what he is saying. I wrote, “One of the men walked up to my mom and pointed to me, then to himself, then showed us a five on his hand, and the pointed to a cattle of cows, just across the way” (Gergely 3). Although this specific moment did not involve a single exchange in words, it was still a form of communication. Part of communicating is having the patience and really trying to take the time to get into the other person’s mind and decipher what they are trying to express. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to try and communicate with someone who doesn’t understand your native language. The Maasai used hand gestures and other objects, in this case cows, to support the mystery behind his words that could not be understood. With enough diligence and effort, I was able to understand. In this case, surprisingly, we were able to better communicate and connect because of the language barrier as this barrier put emphasis on a more intimate form of connection- body language. This body language opened up a new layer of vulnerability between the Maasai and me, and allowed the connection between us to flourish. It’s amazing how the human race is so inclined to finding different ways to accomplish something, if the “easy” way, in this case using words, is unavailable.
BODY LANGUAGE: SIGNS AND SINGING
Another example of communication that I experienced with the Maasai was when all the women began singing for us. They sang a multitude of songs in Swahili, and not a single song in English, and the truth is, it didn’t even matter. My loss within the lyrics did not change the fact that I felt so welcomed and honored to be witnessing the beautiful and raw voices of these strong Maasai women. Looking at the 5th, 6th, and 7th pictures of my slideshow, located on my website, it is obvious how colorfully open these women were. They formed a line, which later turned into a circle that included almost everyone at their campsite. The beauty of communication is that individual identities can be discovered without the use of verbal words, but truthfully through a multitude of different ways: through actions, gestures, song, dance, and general openness. As soon as I stepped into this Maasai community, the sincerity within their hearts and homes was enough to facilitate our connection for that day.
Another example of communication that I experienced with the Maasai was when all the women began singing for us. They sang a multitude of songs in Swahili, and not a single song in English, and the truth is, it didn’t even matter. My loss within the lyrics did not change the fact that I felt so welcomed and honored to be witnessing the beautiful and raw voices of these strong Maasai women. Looking at the 5th, 6th, and 7th pictures of my slideshow, located on my website, it is obvious how colorfully open these women were. They formed a line, which later turned into a circle that included almost everyone at their campsite. The beauty of communication is that individual identities can be discovered without the use of verbal words, but truthfully through a multitude of different ways: through actions, gestures, song, dance, and general openness. As soon as I stepped into this Maasai community, the sincerity within their hearts and homes was enough to facilitate our connection for that day.
SO… IS THERE STILL A BARRIER PRESENT?
Feeling this connected to the Maasai, was there still a language barrier? A barrier is defined in the Miriam-Webster Dictionary as, “a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access” (Merriam-Webster). In my opinion, verbally there was a barrier, but that barrier did not prevent communication and a connection between the Maasai and I. This language barrier, in fact, brought me so much closer to the Maasai in such a short period of time, compared to relationships that I have had for years based on pure verbal communication. These hand gestures, and extreme attentiveness to one another increased the intimacy and vulnerability between us and in turn created a more authentic friendship. Our own individual codes meshed together in a way in which we could communicate.
Canagarajah supports this philosophy as he writes, “Using our receptive skills we can understand the interlocutor’s language, in the same way the interlocutor uses his/her competence to understand our own language. Communication involves more than just words. In many cases, speakers use the context, gestures, and objects in the setting to interpret the interlocutor’s utterances” (Canagarajah 5). He mentions the term polyglot dialog to describe this exact type of communication that takes on multiple forms. He includes this polyglot dialog discussion in a very global context as these varied forms of communication occur all around the world. The Maasai and I created our own polyglot dialog using the many other abundant tools available to us besides words.
Feeling this connected to the Maasai, was there still a language barrier? A barrier is defined in the Miriam-Webster Dictionary as, “a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access” (Merriam-Webster). In my opinion, verbally there was a barrier, but that barrier did not prevent communication and a connection between the Maasai and I. This language barrier, in fact, brought me so much closer to the Maasai in such a short period of time, compared to relationships that I have had for years based on pure verbal communication. These hand gestures, and extreme attentiveness to one another increased the intimacy and vulnerability between us and in turn created a more authentic friendship. Our own individual codes meshed together in a way in which we could communicate.
Canagarajah supports this philosophy as he writes, “Using our receptive skills we can understand the interlocutor’s language, in the same way the interlocutor uses his/her competence to understand our own language. Communication involves more than just words. In many cases, speakers use the context, gestures, and objects in the setting to interpret the interlocutor’s utterances” (Canagarajah 5). He mentions the term polyglot dialog to describe this exact type of communication that takes on multiple forms. He includes this polyglot dialog discussion in a very global context as these varied forms of communication occur all around the world. The Maasai and I created our own polyglot dialog using the many other abundant tools available to us besides words.
WE BROKE THE BARRIER
Canagarajah states that various languages and verbal dialect can be interpreted, expressed, and exchanged in a multitude of ways. He focuses primarily on a translingual form of communication that mixes together different languages and is actually a very common form of communication within a variety of cultures today. Communication plays an integral part in our society today, as most, if not all, human relationships are entirely based on how well one person can communicate with someone else, in regards to clarity, directnesshonesty, and in meaning. I experienced a lingual barrier with the Maasai, but not a mental or emotional barrier. This “barrier” created a more intimate and authentic connection between us—one that I will never forget. A barrier is only a barrier when you let it inhibit you from accomplishing a goal. In this experience I had with the Maasai, we broke the barrier.
Canagarajah states that various languages and verbal dialect can be interpreted, expressed, and exchanged in a multitude of ways. He focuses primarily on a translingual form of communication that mixes together different languages and is actually a very common form of communication within a variety of cultures today. Communication plays an integral part in our society today, as most, if not all, human relationships are entirely based on how well one person can communicate with someone else, in regards to clarity, directnesshonesty, and in meaning. I experienced a lingual barrier with the Maasai, but not a mental or emotional barrier. This “barrier” created a more intimate and authentic connection between us—one that I will never forget. A barrier is only a barrier when you let it inhibit you from accomplishing a goal. In this experience I had with the Maasai, we broke the barrier.