Add your commentary as a comment to this post.
ENG 1101 — LC53 — YASSS…..A Course as Bold as You!, Spring 2019
A City Tech OpenLab Course Site
Add your commentary as a comment to this post.
The OpenLab is an open-source, digital platform designed to support teaching and learning at City Tech (New York City College of Technology), and to promote student and faculty engagement in the intellectual and social life of the college community.
I believe that language is an indelible part of our common bond. Through language I stand at the crossroads of the world, interacting with its citizens. My relationship with language has driven me the better part of my life. As a child, it differentiated me as someone who needed to be paid attention to. Otherwise, I would have ended up sharpening saw blades or stacking lumber for a living. As a young man, the rough around the edges outsider in an elite college, it brought me the company of interesting people, including mentors, even girlfriends.
Language, and writing, has allowed me to walk into and out of my own life many times—into film development, into trade work, into healthcare research, into IT, into the academic space where so few of my people find a home. It even won me a championship as a test contestant for a game show. Now, it brings me comfort sharing its power with the people who will use its benefit well. The people who will manage the world my children will be college students in.
I believe in demanding more of the language we speak. I am not a writer, but I am a student of words. I struggle with language, but I don’t give up on it. So, I have grown through it. That is what I want from language: growth, realization, and the power to effect change. I write to understand. I write to share with others so that I may learn. I write because it brings to me the world that I want to experience. The stories of people who are different than I am. I write to break down the barriers of my own isolation and be free.
By Durell Webb
Language is you, you as a person is language. Language gives us purpose, it gives us a voice to speak to whom we communicate with. Human beings, were sculpted by our ancestors, who gave us both a blessing and a curse. Language can be learned, but not always understood. And because language is different for everyone, some are frowned upon. In school you are forced to learn different languages, and it is not taught very well. Teachers teach you the knowledge to write the language but not the ability to commune. That is our job.
Humans are born to distinctive parents in which they pass on the language to you, the child. This is one of the many things that shape you. Whether it be English or Spanish, French or Japanese. That is what makes us, us. I believe that language if can be looked passed, and shared, could help break the language barrier, help with conflicts between countries. Our Ancestors, grandparents, and parents. All give a piece of them to help us with finding our language and ourselves. We are our languages, we should be proud of that fact no matter who insults, shames or curse you for the language you speak. You don’t have to change yourself, so that others won’t be afraid of you. Our voice is our own, no one can take that from us, as human beings
-Once again Durell Webb
I believe, language is one of the necessary part of human’s lives. Language is the way to communicate with each other in the society. In the World, every country has their own languages and people speak in different languages. Like other, I speak Bengali as it’s my native language. Then, I learn how to speak in English after I came to the U.S.A. In my country Bangladesh, I usually learned English in my schools. However, it was a British action English different than American English. After I came here with my family, we realized how important the language is. We faced many obstacles in our daily lives as we’re immigrant and had hard time to communicate with other in English.
Now, language is the most important part in my life. By knowing English better than before I I’m able to communicate with people in public places, my professional field, at home. I can read and write in English. Furthermore, I believe language identify me like who am I, what is my origin is. As I born in country Bangladesh, it’s language ‘Bengali’ identify me as a Bangladeshi. Overall, in my opinion, language identify people’s identity. All people should practice English with their native languages as it is the international language. As English is the most common language in the world, every day I try to learn as many things as I can by reading newspapers, reading books or watching TV shows.
Language is a powerful trait that we all use to express what we are feeling. With language we can tell stories That can make us imagine what’s happening. Every language is different in its own way but they are all the same in how we use it. Muse language on our daily basis with other people; With family we use our native tongue, In a professional situation we use proper English, With friends we might use slang. Language is used to communicate, it’s all changes based on our surroundings. we learn language at a young age and our brains processes all of it, the ways to say with the emotions,meaning and power. language can be easy for some and others might have a challenge with it. Because not everyone has the same dialect, such as is a mix of Dominican and New Yorker dialect. I don’t really pronounce words and speak rapidly.
I believe that language is a way to communicate with others. People come and go, to different places and use language to be able to communicate. Others learn a new language because they want others to understand them. For me, language is the same as culture. But is also a connection to history. Someone may comment or talk about it but they are going to be able to understand it. They have to learn the meaning behind it to understand the language and culture. Language is everywhere, everyone has to learn a language at some point. But that’s the purpose, you have to learn something new in your life.
From my experience, I had to learn English so I would be able to communicate and interact with others. Besides, learning of a new language am learning of their ways to do things and why they celebrate certain important days. By learning English at a young age, am being able to overcome certain barriers every now and then. Besides, ‘Spanish’ identify me as a Latina and makes me remember where am from even if I live somewhere else and speak another language that’s not ‘Spanish’.
I believe that language is a way to communicate with others. People come and go, to different places and use language to be able to communicate. Others learn a new language because they want others to understand them. For me, language is the same as culture. But is also a connection to history. Someone may comment or talk about it but they are going to be able to understand it. They have to learn the meaning behind it to understand the language and culture. Language is everywhere, everyone has to learn a language at some point. But that’s the purpose, you have to learn something new in your life.
From my experience, I had to learn English so I would be able to communicate and interact with others. Besides, learning of a new language am learning of their ways to do things and why they celebrate certain important days. By learning English at a young age, am being able to overcome certain barriers every now and then. Besides, ‘Spanish’ identify me as a Latina and makes me remember where am from even if I live somewhere else and speak another language that’s not ‘Spanish’.
Language reflects you and the environment you’ve been surrounded in throughout all your life. Language is the only form of communication we humans have. whether it be sign language or spoken language, the more languages we learn open our ability to connect to each other. We all develop certain ways of using language, for example you may use a lot of slang, you consistently use profanities or you just like to talk more formal all the time. Since, language is such diverse, yet a very familiar topic to everyone, people may view you in several ways. Some people may think your completely relatable to them and some people will think your weird or just straight up normal.
While I don’t believe that language is attached to someone’s attitude and mentality, It still represents a lot about your life and all the events that happened throughout it.
I believe that language makes people special. Speaking different language makes people unique in a different way. For me language represent my identity, It reminds me of where I come from and my purpose. The more languages an individual knows the better it is to communicate with people and help you understand each other. When I was 10 years old I went to the capital of Ethiopia and I learned how to speak Amharic and I was able to communicate with the people and understand their culture, which increase my knowledge on learning new things that I wasn’t able to acquire where I came from. When I came to the united state people had different thought about language. People tend to treat other differently based on their language and their culture. My teacher used to yell at me and said “this is an English class, speak English”. I felt different from the people around me and regretted speaking other languages. But, outside school whenever am in the train speaking my language with my friends people ask me what language is that and want to learn my language. I realized that my language made me special and I wouldn’t trade it for anything because not everyone in the whole world are the same and that’s what makes us different and unique. That’s why I strive to learn more languages so I can communicate and understand different type of people.
Language is survival. It is every humans basic need, it’s what keeps us sane. It is asking someone their name rather than giving it to them, listening to their stories and hardships. To me, language is “what’s that thing you wear on your head?”. When I am asked this question, I am being asked my story. I am asked about me. Without this simple act of communicating we confine ourselves to a simple way of life, we close the doors of what will be rather than taking it in. The way language is developing is the reason why we have all of these technological advancements, its the reason why you have your phone in your hand and the reason you got here, in college. It is how you order your coffee in the morning and let your loved ones know you are thinking about them. Language is about expressions and feelings, it is the way my non-english speaking grandmother struggles to tell me she loves me in any way she can and it is me running to my Father to ask him to say “I love you too” for me. I don’t speak her language and she doesn’t speak mine, but it is the determination to find anyway to communicate. I believe language, a simple “hello” or “whats your name?” is the foundation of building a bridge. One that connects you and another intimately where you can take a dip into their world and let them get a taste of wonderful you. Communicating is a declaration of who you are and what you stand for, that shouldn’t be left unheard so when the courageously curious ask you for your name, tell them. Make it worthwhile.
Language is a form of communication. Language is a part of who we are because it separates us and makes us different from some. For some of us, our language is home because maybe we only speak our language when we’re home. Or maybe, for some of us, language is a portal that takes us back to wherever we’re from. Language is also a transmitter because it transfers thoughts and ideas that we have in our minds and makes them real. Language can also be an opportunity because for some, if you know the “right” language it opens doors for you to succeed in life. For example, knowing the right language can get you into a school of your choice, or perhaps get a career job of your dream. I think language is very important and it’s important to speak our language well because it reflects your level of intelligence, in most cases. “Most” because maybe someone who may be very educated but lacks language or speaking skills can look otherwise; and vise versa. Someone who probably isn’t so bright could appear as if because of the way they speak, if they speak well. Therefore, i think language is very important in different aspects and everyone should make themselves aware of how important it is.
Kyrie Irving once said “basketball isn’t just a game, it’s an art form”. I let that sink in for a while when I first heard it, and it didn’t take me long to realize what Irving was really saying. Language like basketball, is a form of art with many different methods of expression. The way Kyrie Irving danced with his ball-handling skills to get to the rim, the way Klay Thompson shoots the ball with his perfect form, they both result in the ball going in the basket. Language works the same way, in the sense that the objective or main focus (putting the ball in the hoop, communicating with others) is the art, and the way you go about that objective is a different form of expression. Spanish, Japanese, French, German, all these languages are just different methods of communication used by people of different cultures. Finding ways to communicate with each other shouldn’t be difficult when there are so many, however ignorance and lack of exposure often blind us from seeing that. Languages are so remarkably complex and extensive that many of them have different variations like accents, vernacular, etc. The British don’t use the same terms as we in America, nonetheless the language they speak is still english.
Language is a tool of communication, a way to express ourselves. Language may also a carrier, it gives someone the opportunity to succeed either as a professional or a good communicator.
Language might also painful for someone. Being among a group of people who speak a foreign language, where you can’t express yourself, can’t ask any questions, can’t tell your feelings while you really want to talk, that could be the worst feeling ever.
I remember when I first came to America, my first job was in a McDonald’s, the manager asked me something that I couldn’t understand, he yelled at me and asked me if I speak English ? Even though his English wasn’t so good. I felt destroyed for the rest of the day, but at the endu of the day I told myself that I have get over that and improve my English skills. Language brings people together and makes them understand each other. As a baby grows step by steps, language can be improved
Language is a distinction yet something that brings us together. I have two separate definitions of language. When I can’t understand the Spanish lady who does who does my wash and sets every two weeks or the Korean lady who does my nails . I get frustrated when they speak their language and I can’t understand what they’re talking about . My first thought is to think they’re talking about me to their coworkers in their language but of course I don’t really know . I feel alone, confused and slightly on edge , because I can’t telp what they’re saying but I can read their body language , now that speaks volumes . The side eye when I tell Gloria I don’t want her to cut my ends or irritated look on the lady who does my nails face when I ask her to fix the shape of my nail . Then comes the statements and the unexplainable laugh as though I’m not sitting right here . Can you not see me ? But then I think about when I went to France and I lost my parents . 30 minutes went by as I continued to ask for directions but no one could understand me . As soon as I would approach someone they would wave their hand in my face indicating they don’t understand what I was saying , or simply shrug their shoulders and walk away . As soon as I was about to give up I asked one last person and he not only understood what I was saying he told me the place I was looking for was right around the corner . I was so happy to be understood that I gave a stranger a hug ,something my parents always told me never to do . But joy came over me