Reflection
Language
and culture like a tree. It grows every day start from the root until it
results a big tree with thousands leaves. Root is the important part of tree;
it strengthens the tree and keep it stands straight. We choose root to
represent language and tree represents culture. As the root shares mineral
throughout all parts of the tree to give nutrition and make it alive, so do how
the language create and keep culture alive. We believe that language shapes how
people communicate to each other and also helping people to view things
contrarily. Kramsch describes the relation between language and culture in
three verbs; language expresses,
embodies and symbolizes culture reality. Theses verbs are actually
possessed similar meaning that language helps people to understand and or do
the culture. Culture cannot be seen nor convey without language; whether spoken
or written language. It creates the meaning to certain group that only
understood by the member of that group. The example of our experience is when
we entered English study program. We have to pass a process named “Binkrab”
where it has been a tradition of English Study Program to introduce the study
program for all freshmen. During that process, the committee taught us about
the requirement of how to be good learners and study well in ESP. Also its
process consists of some activities and songs that given by the senior. This
tradition has started from previous generations until now and by sharing it to
us (through language), the culture or tradition of “Binkrab” will never decay.
This is how the language can preserve cultures. Kramsch’s statement that
“language is not culture-free code” means culture is existed within the use of
language. In fact, language helps culture to be maintained. How we can possible
know about ESP tradition, songs, tips about how to be a good learner in ESP
from generation to generation if not from the story spoken or written by
seniors in Binkrab. The past culture has been passed for us through language
and current culture will be passing for people in the future through language
as well.
In
the poem of Emily Dickinson about Roses, the use of “General Rose” which
represents Nature, “The Lady” as Language, and “The Attar” or fragrance of the
Roses as Culture. This poem put language
and culture to weird relationship where they can both influence each other in
so many ways. Naturally, rose is just one of beautiful flowers which can be
wilted anytime. Unfortunately, the natural characteristic of a flower makes it
only beautiful when we see it directly. On the flip side, culture and language
can do things nature cannot. Time has no effect on both culture and language.
Culture brings Rose to so many ears through language. It makes people imagine
how beautiful Rose is. Every time someone mention Rose, the definition of Rose
develop in society will lead them to define it by the culture they kept and
language they heard. Roses may be only a kind of flower but culturally, Rose is
a sign of true love and sometimes can also be a sign of a Lady. The Lady and
the Rose is not immortal, the Lady can die and the Rose can “decay”, but the
Rose can be immortal when the perfume maker change the rose petal into high
cost perfume. From the perfume, the Lady can use it, and the fragrance of the rose
made her immortal. We can conclude that, “Culture is never died, when Language
make it immortals”. We can know about the culture of one community because of
language. There is the “screw” as socialization or acculturation to be a “gift”
of the culture to know about the community. Language and culture need each
other by supporting each of their existences in society.
Members
of speech community believe in a general definition toward particular things.
Basically, society has variants definition of something. The people who have
similar definition of those particular things will lead them to be in one
speech community. For instance, some people believe chocolate is a symbol of
fat people, because people who consume chocolate a lot mostly fat. Or, some people
also think that chocolate is a symbol of Valentine’s Day; people show their
affection on people they care by giving them chocolate. Those who believe in
one of those two definitions of chocolate will put them in one speech community
with others who have similar thought. Member of discourse community share same
interest toward something. Me, Mima and Dilla are in one discourse community
since we love Korean music, drama, and culture. Resti, Dewi, and Dilla love
reading Novel that makes them have their own discourse community. Vano and
Richard love Ariana Grande, it also causes them to have their own discourse
community. Discourse community recruits people by relevant qualification. They
share same topic, thought and mindset when they meet. FRG also can be
considered as discourse community since we discussed things that other people
might not think to discuss. It leads to the discussion about imagined
community. The basic knowledge about imagined community is not based on face to
face communication. Korean lovers, Novel club or Ariana grande’s fans are from
all around the world. Yet, they cannot meet every day to discuss things but the
communication is made by social media. In addition, media also can be one
imagined community. Sometimes, media creates stereotype to people by their
images, videos and news. People who watch, read and or listen to media are
considered in one imagined community since they do not see things happening in
real but through the story created by media. In addition, the project we did for
CCU class – Cyber Pal is also another example of imagined community.
Discussed and
written by:
Ayu Aprilya
Sari Abdullah
Resti Safitri
Ali
Manase
Richard Masela
