Language: The Mortar of Culture

In so many ways, AU is one of the best places to study something like cross-cultural communication. A short walk through the LA quad or MGC may, at times, resemble one through an airport terminal due to the breadth of cultures represented here. Regardless of exact numbers, nearly every major culture is well-accounted for and pronounced here on campus. The funny thing about this, though, is exactly what distinguishes these "non-Americans" from "Americans". In many cases, they dress and act just like any normal American teenager would, listening to the same music and engaging in the same types of activities. More often than not, it is language which sets them apart.

While the international students here are very friendly and all speak very good English, they do also tend to keep more to themselves, a practice that is marked by them speaking their own languages from home. While, unless they are speaking Spanish, I oftentimes cannot even come close to discerning what they talk about in groups, sometimes it is actually quite easy. Being that they are immersed in our "American" culture, where nearly everything hinges on English, very often they will mix in English words in the context of whatever else they are speaking. The reason for this, I believe, is that they are talking about things pertinent to their respective experiences here at AU and may therefore find it odd or less natural to talk about or refer to these things in any other language. Contrarily, if they are discussing things that take place in their home country or relate to their own cultures, they would likely be far less inclined to use English at any length.

This example, I believe, is a perfect example of just how significant language is to our study and understanding of culture. Here at AU, which while very diverse is still clearly American (obviously), a common language is in many cases the only thing students who have traveled thousands of miles have to connect themselves with home and their native culture. Language really is the mortar of culture in general, connecting and providing a framework for the building of something more complex and universal.

-Dylan Parker