Language

I was really excited to start the language unit, I thought all of the material sounded really interesting, I even ended up writing my research paper on it. I think one of the most interesting pieces of material for this section would have to be the movie we watched on languages and how they think there might be one language that all the others branch off from. That seems really interesting to me, and makes a lot of sense. People are always saying how a lot of languages steam from Latin, but I never thought about there being one central language that everything else branches off from.
It links really well with the ideas of evolution. If all humans and their language originated in one general area the language they had would have been standard throughout groups of people, until they separated and scattered throughout the world creating the other languages and dialects we hear and speak today. The movie started an interesting discussion about when a new language or dialect is formed, how much must change before it is considered a new language. It was interesting to see how the changes can start from a simple accent or a slight carelessness in the pronunciation of a word or phrase. Slang terms can also affect language a lot as well, in different areas that speak the same language they can have different meanings for the same words. Like the pants example that Professor MacCormack brought up. Overall I think the general topic of language is interesting and studying its origins and the effects on the people that speak it seems like a good way to spend a few weeks.

Demonic Males

This reading by Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson struck my attention because it made me think about the power of genders. As it said, throughout history most societies would ban women from having anything to do with participating in war. The men wanted to feel as if they had the strength the women did not. This made me think that maybe it was the men who were weak and insecure with themselves. If they truly were as strong as they claimed why would they be threatened fighting amongst women? The women referred to endure being discriminated against, beaten, raped, and many other horrific things. It makes me wonder, if gender roles were switched would men be able to endure such things?

-Molly Hilken

Reading Response: Nature Via Nurture

This article covered a topic that I am very familiar with, the idea of nature vs. nurture, but the title alone made me think of a new way of thinking: not vs. but via. Many anthropologists have toyed with the idea that perhaps our cultures are not separate from our true nature, that when we go against our culture we are actually going against our nature instead of with it. This idea appeals to me because we have too many social constructs that prevent the idea of us being bestial without cultures to shape us, as even animals have culture. The famous addage "raised by wolves" no longer means that they have no culture, simply a different one if we adopt the idea that human nature requires cultural nurture. Our moral structures and systems of belief aren't necssarily unique to humans, just different from an animal culture. Wolves, for example, have a distinct and elaborate social order where there are those who are in positions of higher command, but all among the group nare important to the pack's survival. As for their beliefs, we cannot speak to them to answer that question, so it will have to remain unanswered.

how to talk about the world

How to talk about the world

I found this article about language very interesting for many reasons. One reason is that it had never occurred to me how much of an impact your culture has on your language. For instance, the categorizing of a chair in English would be with furniture while in some African speech communities they would categorize it with a spear because they are both emblems of a rulers authority. Another interesting thing that was pointed out in the article was that there are some sentences in a language that simply can’t be translated to another depending on how that language was developed in it’s culture. Which is why becoming a translator is a form of art itself.

Corbin B.

Geertz

I agree with what it says how common sense has a relatively organized body of considered thought because common sense it something you are nurtured throughout
your life. Due the experiences in life, it should be easily understood that its "common sense." When it qoutes "coping with everyday problems in an everday way with some effectiveness"
it a powerful thing said because when we execute the issue or not, we learn to fix it the next time it comes around. I have actually never thought of how
common sense it defined. Common sense is actually really hard to define and there is so much to it like how it says it can be common sense in nature. For
example, it says that in a culture, there are things that are common sense like covering your mouth when yawning is a common sense in the American
culture. So I found this article really interesting to encounter.

Are We Born Moral?

Are We Born Moral?

The article Are We Born Moral really made me think about morals in general. Each culture has differing morals, which leads me to believe that we are not born moral. It seems as though we are born into society and basically shaped by our family and surroundings. Looking back in my life I know that I was taught my values and morals by the people I looked up to; such as my family and teachers. If we were born with our morals wouldn’t every society/culture have the same values? Differing families and people share different morals and values so it seems to me we are taught them. I had seen a documentary focusing on children who had been neglected. A young girl was thrown out of her house at 3 years old to live with the animals in a barn behind her house. The child was given food but had very little human interaction. When she was found she was living like a dog; barking, growling, and couldn’t speak like a normal human being. Now she is in a mental hospital being rehabilitated to speak and live a more normal life. This documentary made me believe that what we are put into after we are born shapes not only our actions but our whole perception on living. In all I definitely take the side that we are born a clean slate and our taught our morals.

Courtney Timms

Metaphors We Live By/ Lakoff

Living by metaphors is an idea expressed by this author. I believe it is merely an opinion that has enough evidence to support it. Therefore, stating that the way we think, what we experience and what we do every day is very much a matter of metaphor, isn't out of the ball park.

Argument is War
It is amazing that when speaking of these two subjects, similar phrases and words can be used to describe the process or situation of them. At war, physically, in combat, it can be easy to describe the weaker link, as indefensible and caught off guard. When arguing one can also say, that when confronting the other individual, they caught them off guard and in turn caused them to be defenseless. You can describe an argument as a war. There are similarities in how these two topics are approached. You are opposing the person you are in disagreement with. And thus it can be stated you are also opposing another country for several reasons I will purposely omit for the sake of time. There are many other instances, in life in general, were we also use analogies to describe a situation so that we can convey it more effectively. Maybe it can be said too , we live by poetry.
Metaphors are concepts. The way a person conveys their thoughts is parallel to how they perceive their environment. I would say it is likely that a person is more linguistic and articulate depending on their environment. How can we explain things without linking it to something else that makes more sense? If I am having a hard time explaining a math problem to a student, I find one of the best ways to explain it is to link it to something happening in real life so that they can associate it better and implement that same process in order to get their answer.
Interesting topic.