Language

I did this experiment with the 10 and 1/2 year old girl that I nanny. She was excited to help me with my homework. (It is still a new concept to them that I am in school and do homework just like they do.) We completed it over the course of making dinner together.

Part 1:

I found this experiment to be quite tricky. I had to catch myself numerous times to keep from speaking. I did a lot of pointing and gesturing. The message that I was trying to make did not always get understood. There were a couple moments when Emma asked me specific questions that could not be answered with hand gestures. I would just shrug my shoulders and chose to answer them later. (One of those was as she was stirring milk in a pan on the stove “why does milk not turn sour when you cook it.”) While I was unable to speak I found that Emma chose to speak more-just because. When I asked her about it afterwards she stated “it was too quiet! I felt like I had to fill the silence.” I found that very interesting and aware of her, being that she is only 10. I believe that the partner/culture that has spoken language is the advantaged one. They have the ability to express a wide range of ideas whereas the culture without language can only observe and point. The non-speaking culture could be looked at as less intelligent since they cannot express their thoughts and ideas in an accurate way. In our culture people who have language disabilities that affect how they speak have a harder time being seen as “smart” because they are harder to understand. I have a friend who stutters when she speaks. Even though she is very intelligent, when she speaks aloud people don’t necessarily see that because they get caught up on her stuttering. She has been passed over for jobs because of her speech disability. 

Part 2:

We were able to go the full 15 minutes, but I did mess-up a few times and forget. I was amazed at how much I use my hands while speaking. I was even more surprised by the amount of facial expressions that I use during conversation. They were both very difficult to not use. My partner thought this was pretty funny and continuously commented that “this is really hard for you, isn’t it?” She would also make funny faces to see if she could get me to laugh. (Ahhh, kids....) Emma also commented that I “looked funny” during this part. This experiment demonstrates how vital hand gestures and facial expressions are to the process of communication. Without them we “look funny” and, I expect, are harder to understand. To get the whole picture while communicating, one must look at the body language as well as listen to the speech. I feel also that intonation is one of the key factors in expressing yourself in conversation. Without it, the partner looses the meaning and emotion behind the words. These physical signs are just as vital to communication as the speech is. For those people who cannot read body language (those with autism or aspergers) they miss out on a wealth of information and often make social mistakes because of it. Those people who possess the ability to read body language and facial expressions can gauge the communication more effectively. They can read the emotion behind the words which will allow them to make a more accurate response, leading to more effective back-and-forth communication. I cannot think of any environments where not reading body language would be a benefit. That is like saying having less knowledge is a benefit, since ignoring body language is ignoring information that is directed at you during communication. 

Part 3:

The first part of the experiment would have been much easier had we been able to write. I would have been able to answer Emma’s more specific questions. This part of the experiment made me realize how much information I convey through talking while with the children and not being able to speak negatively impacted the type of interactions that we have. Written language allows information to be spread more widely across the population allowing better access to knowledge. The population as a whole is better informed and educated when they are literate, able to make informed choices for themselves. Written language, especially in the form of mass media such as the internet, has allowed knowledge and ideas to spread to previously isolated people. Those people who can read and write have greater potential for improving their economic level, and are better able to provide for their families. Written language is another tool in passing on knowledge. 

I chose to do this experiment with a child for several reasons. Most of my time is spent in the company of children, so finding time to conduct the experiment was much easier if I could do it with them. I also thought that it would be interesting because as humans we learn to communicate in childhood. That is the time when we learn how to speak, read, write and gauge body language. Childhood is the formation of who we become as adults and how we interact with the world around us.