Language death

Language death occurs in unstable bilingual or multilingual speech communities as a result of language shift from a regressive minority language to a dominant majority language."

(Wolfgang Dressler, "Language Death." 1988) "A language is said to be dead when no one speaks it any more. It may continue to have existence in recorded form, of course--traditionally in writing, more recently as part of a sound or video archive (and it does in a sense 'live on' in this way)--but unless it has fluent speakers one would not talk of it as a 'living language.' . . .

"The effects of a dominant language vary markedly in different parts of the world, as do attitudes towards it. In Australia, the presence of English has, directly or indirectly, caused great linguistic devastation, with 90% of languages moribund. But English is not the language which is dominant throughout Latin America: if languages are dying there, it is not through any 'fault' of English. Moreover, the presence of a dominant language does not automatically result in a 90% extinction rate. Russian has long been dominant in the countries of the former USSR, but there the total destruction of local languages has been estimated to be only (sic) 50%."
(David Crystal, Language Death. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002)

Here in Kuwait we find that the youngest generations don't understand most of the old Kuwaiti idioms and words not just because it's not used anymore (because there still old people trying to pass them to the new generations but it is still not affective enough for remaining the language as it is), but because the new generation is replacing these idioms with other idioms mostly from the English language because of many reasons that includes the new wave of enrolling the children in English schools, and that is why we find our language is containing more word from English.

I will write some of the old Kuwaiti's words in Arabic and it's meaning and you can write more examples:

الجندل (الشندل) = خشب يستخدم لسقف الغرفة
خـّري مـّري = الدخول والخروج من غير إستئذان أو نظام
سِـنيار = مرافقة بعض بالمراكب ، وعادة تستخدم بالسفر أو الطريق الطويل بحري كان أو بري
عقر بقر = تقال هذه الكلمه للانسان المريض واللذي يريدون ممازحته مثال اشفيك طاقك عقر بقر يعني اشفيك حاشك مرض البقرة اللى انكسرت ريلها او امرضت وما قامت تقدر تقوم
كيري ميري = وهو لفظ يقوله القدماء يعنون به اللف والدوران فيقول البعض مثال انا ما عندي كيري ميري
بربس = صفة تطلق على الكلام عديم الفائدة وعلى العمل الذي لا فائدة ترجي من ورائه وعلى الشخص الذي لا اعتماد عليه مثال شغلكم بربس

World's Weirdest Weddings

The Wedding is the fairytale every girl dreams about. In your wedding, you must look like a princess, with your glamourous white dress, your make up and hair done, your loved ones gathered around you celebrating the begining of the rest of your life and your prince charming is what makes the story complete.

To some people that's not the case at all. I recieved an email the other day about the funniest and weirdest wedding customs around the world. It's amazing to see how the most demeaning, disgusting and hurtful actions to you, represent joy and happiness to other people!

In India, In a tribe called 'Toda', The bride to be must show loyalty, humiliation and total devotion to her future husband and that is by crawling on her hands and knees until she reaches him kneeling (while people are looking at her), then he puts his foot on her head to give her his blessing! (I'd rather live single forever if you ask me :)

Another tribe that lives South the Pacific Ocean has a weird wedding custom. On the wedding day, the bride and groom go the head of the tribe; who holds their heads and bangs them against eachother as hard as he can. And this makes the marriage official! (OuCH!)

The last tribe that I was shocked by is located in an island in the Pacific Ocean. In this tribe, the groom gives his wife a dowry based on her beauty. The more beautiful you are, the higher dowry you'll recieve. But the trick is that the dowry is 'a huge number of mice'. The prettier you are, the more mice you'll recieve! (Poor Ladies)

These are 3 examples out of many of the weirdest wedding customs that i read about.

At the end I just want to thank god for our beautiful, fun, elegant weddings and thanks to Islam that preserves women their dignity and honor and protects them from being subjected to such humiliation.

Hellow , How are you?
I want to talk about culture lecture and the question that Dr.Tayba asked us. She asked, whether the culture is learned or inherited? Defining culture is no easy task because it means many different things to many people. There are easily as many definitions of " culture " as there are cultures in the world. This is what it said in the hand out of Dr.Tayba about defining the culture. So, if there is no specific definition for the culture, how come we just say it is learned. I tried to give my opinion in percentage; of course, it is not accurate 100% because I did not make any studies about it. But, still I think it is the most logical answer for me. When I said my opinion to Dr. Tayba and my friends in the class, some agree with me and some are not. My answer was that culture is 80% learned and 20% inherited .Dr.Tayba's opinion was that culture is learned, because it acquired from the nature and she remind us from previous lecture, how the nature influence people. In this point I agree with her. But, still I insist that there is a little effect of inheritance in the culture. When Dr.Tayba asked me, what is your proof. I mentioned " Dr.Taha Husain " and how he was living in a countryside of Egypt and all his family around him were less education, not to mention his blindness. All these reasons gives me a conception that there is a part of inheritance on our life. By coincidence, while I was writing this paragraph, suddenly Kuwait TV on channel one shows in " Almoraselloon " program a short story about " Taha Husain " they talked about his house and his daily life it was marvelous. Finally, I want to say if culture is just leaned. What about people who have a willingness to create their own and others culture. Someone like " Taha Husain " or even the "profits".

Culture and Respect

The term culture refers to a state of intellectual development or manners. The social and political forces that influence the growth of a human being are defined as culture.
Each country in the world has its own culture, where there are a people in some land diffidently there is a culture, lifestyle, beliefs and values. The way we communicate with other people and treat them is one of the important elements in our culture. Even if we are changed our lifestyle, clothes, way of eating and living, we can't change our value and tradition of our culture.

While am searching in ''google'' I had read some impressive examples of respecting people in different countries, and it is reflect of their culture. Indian culture treats guests as god and serves them and takes care of them as if they are a part and parcel of the family itself. Even if they do not have something to eat, they do not leave their guests with hunger. The books of Indian culture contain a lessons which taught the respecting one another. According to Indians, elders are the blessing of any family and the bless come by touching their feet.

Another example of elders respect we can recognize it from Filipino culture. The younger members of family give a lot of respect to those who are older, even though if they are older than them in weeks or months. Also, the family to them the most important thing in life and they always support their family by working hard and send for them money.

In the end, as a human we have to respect all nationalities because we may find on them amazing values that we can learn through it, and be proud of our culture as the way it is.

Cultural Identity Struggles

By Eman M.

Language is the most important means to express our social identity. Regardless to it's obvious importance in our daily life communication, and how it convey our ideas, beliefs, and our point of views to others. Our language and culture are the reflection of our identity and who we are or where do we belong. Sometimes we across some situations that threat our identity somehow without our awareness and how we act is bushed most of times by the need of being accepted by others, but we forget that the others who must accepts us as we are.

I still remember when I was just eight years old when I used to travel with my family to visit our relatives in Saudi Arabia, and I naturally talk with them using my Kuwaiti accent but children there found it funny so they start laughing, then I changed my accent and tried to talk the way they do just to feel the acceptance. When time came to go back home my friends in Kuwait didn't accept the change that occurred to my accent when I was away, I heard some giggling and laughing whenever I used some of the Saudi's words (such as "duffeiny" rather than "dizzeiny" which means push me).

Another example of how people struggle with expressing their social and cultural identity in a different culture. I have a friend who is living in the U S A. for a year now, and she is wearing "Abaya and Niqab", but she can't were them anymore because of people's reaction toward the traditional black Abaya and Niqab, she says that once a child started to cry aloud the moment he saw her and he was pointing at her with fear in his eyes. After that incident she started to wear colorful Abaya and unfortunately without the Niqab.

Body language - Gestures

body language Gestures1 and Gestures2

Almost 93% of our communication is taken up by body language yet most of it we do it unconsciously, so it no wonder that you come by a quote or phrase that say's "actions are stronger than words".

So what is body language? Where do the gestures we use come from? What can affect your body language or when you are trying judge others on their own body language? What part does culture play in? How can we avoid or lessen the misunderstanding and confusion that comes with body language and different cultures?

First: What is body language?

It is almost everything we do non-verbally such as how we greet others, our posture from how we sit or stand, our facial expressions, our clothes, hair styles, tone of voice, eye movements, how we listen, how we breathe, how close we stand to others, and how we touch others.

(The gestures, postures, and facial expressions by which a person manifests various physical, mental, or emotional states and communicates nonverbally with others.)

In addition when we are emotional it is usually when our body language is most pronounced and it prevails over words.

Second: Where do the gestures we use come from?

Gestures may come from two parts, some that come inborn and passed down genetically while others are from growing in respective cultures.

Third: What can affect your body language or when you are trying judge others on their own body language?

Profession (a pianist may give a weak handshake to protect his hand), health, disability, trauma, clothing (if the clothes that are worn are tight it might restrict movement). If a gesture is taken out of contexts, take for example, you see someone with their arms crossed in front of their chest, this is seen as a defensive action yet now think of this same person doing this while the weather is cold outside, now you would come to realize this person is just trying to stay warm.

Fourth: What part does culture play in?

Every person has their own personal space and comfort distances yet our culture influences our expectations. According to Argyle (1978) there are about 700,000 forms of body language that humans use and not one of them could be considered universal. So it would be wise to remember that body languages used can mean very different things in different cultures. Here are a few examples of how body parts, from head to toes, are used for communicating in different parts of the world.

Head; In most societies, a nodding head signifies agreement or approval. But in some cultures, like parts of Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Turkey, a nodding head means "no." In most Asian cultures, head is where spirit resides and one should not touch another's head.

An example for this a new teacher went to teach at a preschool in United States and was given a very brief orientation and she was to teach colours and parts of the body, she had outlines of the body and she would say colour the hand orange, colour the feet purple, colour the colures green, put brown eye on the face the children would not do it, put a red mouth the children would not do it, everything the teacher asked them to do, every feature to put on this blank face the children would refuse to do, she just could not understand what was going on, then after class was over another teacher said "oh we forgot to tell you the Mong have a belief that the spirit resides in the head and that the head is almost sacred you do not touch it or colour anything on their head either as it is a very powerful belief", and it really important because had the teacher not known the belief she would of gone on believing that the children were ignorant, they were rebellious and that they refuse to fallow orders but once that was explained to her it become cleared up.

Face; Facial expressions reflect emotions, feelings, and attitudes. While expressing "true" feeling and emotion is valued in the West, it is prohibited in the East. The Asians, who are taught to practice self-control, are often labelled as "emotionless" and of possessing "mixed-up emotions." Smiling in the East is not necessarily a sign of happiness; rather it signifies "yes," "I don't understand what you said," or can be a cover-up for embarrassment.

Eyes; While good eye contact is praised and expected in the West, it is seen as a sign of disrespect and challenge in other cultures, including Asian and African. The less eye contact these groups have with an individual, the more respect they show.

Closing eyes; In 1975, former Vice President Walter Mondale was invited to speak to the Japanese Diet. He became irritated when he noticed that more than half of the audience closed their eyes. When the talk was over, Mondale snapped at the U.S. ambassador, "Why did I bother to come and talk to them?" "Why, Sir?" the ambassador asked. "They didn't care to hear what I had to say; they were sleeping." "No, Sir," the ambassador replied, "They closed their eyes to close out everything else in order to digest your speech."

Nose; Tapping the nose is more common in Europe than in the United States. It means "confidential" in England but "watch out!" in Italy. Blowing the nose on public streets, while seen as an impolite gesture in North America, is a common practice in most Asian countries. This rids the body of waste and; therefore, it is seen as healthy. At the same time the Asians do not understand why the Americans blow their noses onto a Kleenex that is put back in their pocket and carried with them throughout the day.

Lips and Mouth; Kissing is a sign of love or affection in the West. People kiss when they meet or when they say goodbye. But kissing is viewed as an intimate act in Asia and is not permissible in public. In some cultures, such as Filipino, Native American, Puerto Rican, and several Latin American, people use their lips to point, instead of a finger. Moreover there are 50 or so different types of smiles, for example some people from Asian cultures tend to cover their mouth with their hand because they believe to show your teeth is rude.

Arms; Some cultures, like the Italians, use their arms freely. Others, like the Japanese, are more reserved; in Japan it is considered impolite to gesture with broad movements of the arms.

Hands; Of all the body parts, the hands probably are used most for communicating non-verbally. Hand waves are used for greeting, beckoning, or farewell. The American "goodbye" wave can be interpreted in many parts of Europe and Latin America as the signal for "no." The Italian "goodbye" wave can be interpreted by Americans as the gesture of "come here." The American "come here" gesture can be seen as an insult in most Asian countries where they use it for calling an animal. Asians call others with a similar hand movement but with their palm downward.

Handshaking is the common form of greeting and leave taking in the Western culture. While it is being accepted in Asia, the Asians still prefer a different form of greeting: a bow in East Asia, a "wai" (joining the two hands together like in prayer) for some Southern and South-eastern Asian countries. Asians and Middle Easterners prefer a soft handshake. Strong grips are interpreted as a sign of aggression.

While both right and left hands have equal status in the West, the right hand has special significance and the left hand is "dirty" in the Middle Eastern and some Asian countries. It is best to accept or offer cards or gifts with the right hand or both. The "O.K." sign (the thumb and the forefinger form a circle) means "fine" or "O.K." in most cultures. However, it means "zero" or "worthless" in France and many European countries. The same signal is an insult in Greece, Brazil, Italy, Turkey, and Russia. A "thumb-up" sign indicates an "O.K." or "good job" in most cultures but it is an insult in Australia, New Zealand, and in most African countries.

Some examples

In 1992, then President George H.W. Bush made a state visit to Australia. People lined up along the roadside to welcome the American President who greeted them with raised fingers in the form of "V" with the back of his hand toward the onlookers. The following morning a headline in a local newspaper proclaimed that the "American President insulted the Australians."

In 1998, a newly married American couple went to New Zealand for their honeymoon. They rented a car and toured until they missed a stop sign. A police officer pulled them over. They explained that they were new in town and didn't know about the local traffic so were given a warning instead of a ticket. As a "thank you" gesture, the husband gave the "thumb up" sign. The police officer called for back up and hand cuffed the American man. (A "thump up" is seen as a rude gesture in New Zealand.)

Legs and Feet; Sitting cross-legged is common in North America and some European countries but it is viewed as disrespectful in Asia and the Middle East where a solid and balanced sitting posture is the prevailing custom. In Asia and the Middle East, resting the ankle over the other knee risks pointing the sole of your shoe at another person, which is considered a very rude gesture. One should never point or move an object with their feet in these cultures.

An example for this is

In 1988, two Laotian men walked into a Los Angeles bar where a singer, who was also from an Asian country, was entertaining patrons. The men sat at empty spaces near the front with their feet pointed straight to the singer. After the bar was closed, the singer followed the two men to a parking lot where they got into an argument about how the men pointed their feet at the singer's face. The argument became fierce when the singer pulled out a gun and killed one of the men.

Fifth: How can we avoid or lessen the misunderstanding and confusion that comes with body language and different cultures?

The best way to learn different body languages and cultures is by observation. Some people may even go as far as to call it" people watching", try sitting in an area that people gather in like a park or a shop center and watch the people around you and take notice of these following things:-

Focus on how people of your own gender act or how they may interact with others of the opposite sex.

get a sense of the typical personal space, like how far apart people are standing from each other, for example when talking to each other when waiting in line or on public transportations.

-notice what gesture and body language accompanying certain emotions, for instance how they hold themselves, and how people react to these emotions and behavior of others.

What kind of gestures are used when giving directions like "come here", "bring me that", how people hail taxis, getting attention in shops or when indicating when they want something (like when they point with there finger or snap there fingers to gain attention) would this be considered rude?

What gestures native speakers use or have when expressing complete thought like "I don’t know", "that’s crazy" or " I don’t want to talk about it".(Think about the way English speakers draw a circle around one ear to indicate "crazy")

In conclusion I think the best way to face this is to stay open minded, do not judge others to quickly and to remember that culture dose have an effects on our body language so it is best to gain knowledge about other cultures.

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Resources

http://www.ehow.com/how_2129585_learn-body-language-foreign-culture.html

http://www.bodylanguageexpert.co.uk/BodyLanguageAcrossCultures.html

http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_6.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/22546/the_culture_of_body_language.html?cat=4

http://dating.lovetoknow.com/Cultural_Body_Language

http://www.indoindians.com/index.php/200901201038/Culture/body-language

http://www.answers.com/topic/body-language

http://www.medhunters.com/articles/bodyLanguageAcrossCultures.html

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/body-speaks.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language

Body language across cultures

Forms of Greeting
Handshakes:

United States and Canada: Firm handshake.
France: Soft, quick handshake.
Japan: Handshake with arm fully extended, accompanied by a bow.
Germany: Firm handshake. Men traditionally accompany the handshake with a slight bow.
Middle East: Handshake with the free hand placed on the forearm of the other person.
Bowing: Many people from Asian cultures bow in greeting. In Japan, people bow with their hands at their sides, and the depth of the bow is related to the level of respect due to the other person. Thais bow with their palms together and fingers outstretched, while people from Cambodia and Laos bow with their hands in front of their chests. Pakistanis use the salaam, and bow with the palm of the right hand on their foreheads.

Hugging and Kissing: Native Hawaiians hug and exchange breaths in a custom called "aha." Mexicans will usually hug upon greeting (the abrazo). Men in many parts of the world exchange kisses on the cheek, and places where this is a common practice include Cuba, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
For the Maori of New Zealand, a traditional greeting includes the pressing together the noses (the hongi), and a cry of welcome (the karanga).

Other Body Language
Eye Contact: In Western cultures, people make intermittent eye contact while speaking to demonstrate interest and trustworthiness. People in the Middle East use very intense and prolonged eye contact to gauge someone else's intentions, and will move in very close to see the other person's eyes better. However, in Japan direct eye contact is interpreted as an invasion of a person's privacy and an act of rudeness.
Smiling: North Americans usually smile automatically when greeting others, while people from other cultures may interpret this as insincere. Asian people smile less than Westerners, and in Korea it is considered inappropriate for adults to smile in public. For Koreans, a smile usually indicates embarrassment, and not pleasure.
Head Shaking: Although usually shaking one's head from side to side is used to indicate "no," even this simple gesture doesn't have a universal meaning! Bulgarians shake their head to indicate agreement, and people from southern India and Pakistan move their head from side to side to express a variety of meanings. Depending on context, this headshake could mean "you're welcome," "goodbye," enjoyment, the equivalent of a shrug, or that the person acknowledges what another person has said.
Posture: In the Middle East, it is extremely offensive to point the bottom of one's foot in another person's direction – so sitting cross-legged might be a bad idea!
Personal Space: The amount of personal space North Americans require is about the length of an arm. The French, Latin Americans, and Arabs need less personal space, while Germans and Japanese need more. The size of one's personal space may also be influenced by social status, gender, age, and other factors.