Language

Part 1

I found this assignment very difficult. My partner did alter the way they communicated with me in order to match my non-verbal communication. My partner mostly asked yes or no questions where I could reply nodding my head the yes or no answer. Other than the questions most of our conversation was me listening to my partners comments or stories.

My partner was definitely in control of the conversation.  My partner was the one who initiated or changed topics. I was the one mostly responding to his comments. My partner would also ask all the questions and I would be the one answering them. In this conversation I felt that my partner was in control and I was the one listening only or trying to answer.  It was difficult for me to answer anything more than a yes or no question with non verbal cues. If I attempted to he would have trouble understanding me .

I think that the culture that uses speaking language would have the advantage of communicating complex concepts to others.  I think that the speaking culture might feel that the culture that uses symbolic language cannot communicate as thoroughly as they can. I think that by using words and sentences along with non verbal cues one can communicate very complicated ideals to others more easily than just using symbolic language alone. A modern situation that mirrors this concept might be the use of sign language within deaf people.

Part 2

I felt that this part of the assignment was slightly easier than the last portion, although this was still very difficult. In the beginning of this assignment I found it hard to not use any facial or body signals while communicating. Over time I adjusted and my partner had difficulty understanding me. With no verbal tone or facial and body movements some of the things that i communicated became easily misinterpreted within my partner.

This experiment shows the importance of symbolic gestures within our communication. Without them it is very hard to understand what one is feeling or thinking at the time based on their speech alone. Body language and facial cues give a large importance of what one person is thinking and it conveys the emotions behind the words they are speaking.

Body language within our world is very important. Based on communication alone it would be hard for one to thrive within our society. Body language can show other people when you are feeling threatened or scared, it can show them when they need to back away. Positive body language is also important for things like obtaining a job, when one has a relaxed posture but composed it is more likely that they will obtain this job. When they obtain this job then they can get the resources that they need to survive with the money they make.

I think there are some people who may have difficulty recognizing body language within our society though I cannot think of a group in particular.  However in different cultures I think that some body language is more acceptable than others. For example in some middle eastern countries two men holding hands is very acceptable and a show of friendship, where as in the country we live in some people frown upon it. I think that when the police are dealing with a pathological liar sometimes it might be better to not give too much importance to their body language as they can be giving you the wrong signal purposely.