LANGUAGE OR LANGUAGES?

SEYED HOSSEIN FAZELI

Department of Linguistics, University of Mysore, Mysore.
Email:fazeli78@yahoo.com

International Seminar 1-3 March. 2008,

Hyderabad.
Outline
Introduction
1. The history of vocabulary “Culture”
2. Nature and reality of “culture”
3. The categories of definitions of “culture”
4. Language, thought and culture
5. Language, Culture and Society
6. Language learning
7. Culture, learning and communication
8. The analysis of the social content of language teaching and learning
9.Globalization
10.Today, English as an International language
11. Official language or languages in one country
12-Translation
13. Language contact
14. Motivated factors to learn other languages
15. Multi complex category of factors
16. Results
English in Globalization
References
Introduction
Importance of relationship of language and culture

Culture and language are two unseperatable sides of human

communication system

A language of one society reflects the culture of that society

Language and culture are inter-linked to each others in various ways

Language is human society’s most precious possession not only

because of its communicative values, but also because language is the
vehicle of culture
Culture is the embodiment of all that a society believes produces
Language becomes an integral part of culture
Language and culture go hand in hand interacting with and shaping
together CONTINUE …
The acquisition of one language is done through or with culture
Society and culture are more than background and even more than
context
Language and society are so inter-linked and so much apart each
other that are cannot be thought of except in relation to the other
Language for the individual is his tool for interaction with community
as well as the community’s tool for interaction with the individual
Language acquiring is just one aspect of acculturation
The two languages are not translation of each others
Globalization in a literal sense is international integration
Globalization can be described as a process by which the people of
the world are unified into single society
The effects of globalization which work to linguistic homogenization
and cultural homogenization is done through modernization,
translation, standardization and the others
Endangered languages are not concluded to languages themselves
Endanger with or through languages due to endanger treasure of
culture
Various issues have been affect that the endangered state and
condition occur
1. The history of word “Culture”
Origin of concept “culture”

It is derived form the classical or may be pre-classical Latin

(Cultura)

In 1750, it was used to describe the human society for the

first time in Germany language

In 1871,Tylore defined it as a clear scientific definition

In 1926, ”Culture” was added to Webster dictionary (for the

same meaning)
2. Nature and reality of “culture”
It refers to some “property” of community
culture is something that everybody has
Material culture and Non-material culture
Culture is knowledge includes “know-how “and “how-that”
(1957, Goodenough)
Cultural knowledge , Shared non-cultural knowledge , Non-
shared non-cultural knowledge in one society
Culture
is general; however, it is particular.
is dynamic, however, it is static.
is accepted through force, however, it is free will
Problems of the study of culture
3.The categories of definitions of “culture”
The Descriptive type- The factorial elements of culture -Tylor 1871

The Traditional type- The social heritage or tradition -Sapir 1921

The Normative type-

The rule or way -Young 1934
The values and ideas -Sorokin 1947
The Psychological type -
Culture as adjustment -Small 1905
The learning -Opler 1947
The habits -Murdock 1941
The structural type- The model, pattern or organization of culture
-Willey 1926
The Genetical type-
Culture is as a production - Falsom 1928

The ideas in culture - Ward 1903

The symbols of culture - Whyite 1943

4.Language, though and culture
In language acquisition, cognitive development and linguistic
development, go hand in hand, each interacting with and shaping the
other
Verbal labels can shape the way we store events for later recall
culture as “socially acquired knowledge”
culture is one part of memory
Culture is really an integral part of the interaction between language
and thought
Meanings for every thing, are in the human
5. Language, Culture and Society
The facility of communication and interaction for social
living, is as a result of social being and living in societies as
characteristic of the human
Language does not develop in a vacuum
Language records the cultural history of a community
A language is part of the culture of a people and the chief
means by which the members of a society communicate
Language is component of culture and central network
through which the other components are expressed
Differences in cultural meanings across language are a
problem in learning a new language
Contacting with people of another society, identifies some
characteristics of the behavior ,that show they are as
member of a different society
6. Language learning and teaching
Learning is as “acquiring or getting of knowledge of a
subject or skill by study, experience, or instruction”

The concept of learning, as it is understood today, has been

generally influenced by the psychological study of the
learning process

Teaching is as" showing or helping someone to learn how to

do something, giving instruction, guiding in the study of
something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or
understand”

Your understanding of how the learner learns, will

determine the philosophy of education
7. Culture, learning and communication
To understand some materials and subject in one language, we
should understand the meanings of the culture expressed by the
words of the language

There can be no real learning of a language, without

understanding something of the patterns and values of the
culture of which it is a part

To become truly educated in language, it is necessary to absorb

the full cultural meaning of the target language

Breaking free of the elements meaning units of the learner’s

native language, let him to achieve right communication
through a second language

CONTINUE…
If we suppose that:
*M = “Meaning which exists in the mind of
sender of message during the specific
communication, as it is called Communication
A.”

*M′ = “Meaning which consist in the mind

of receiver of message during the specific
communication, as it is called Communication
A.”

**Among the two individuals communication,

one of the below states, will occur:
CONTINUE…
State one M'/M=1, Two individuals communicate each
others completely.

State two M'/M=0, Two individuals do not communicate each

each others.

State three M'/M <1, Two individuals communicative each

others, but not completely.

State four M'/M >1, Two results will occur:

A-Complete communication B - Self communication

8. The analysis of the social content of
language teaching and learning
The social content of language learning can be regarded as a set of
factors that is likely to exercise a powerful influence on language
learning

Socio-cultural factors that bear upon motivation

Sociolinguistic and socio cultural factors in learning environment

Importance to the influence of interethnic relations upon ethno-

linguistic attitudes and on language learning

the social opportunities for contact with the second language

Educational frame work in which the teaching normally occurs

9.Globalization
Globalization (generally written with a Z) has been defined by
Giddens as “the intensification of worldwide social relations
which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings
are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa”
(Giddens, 1990)

Globalization in a literal sense is international integration

Globalization can be described as a process by which the people

of the world are unified into single society

Scholars from various disciplines such as sociology, political,

science and geography have perceived globalization differently
and tried to define it from various angles CONTINUE…
Commodity of chains whereby production is coordinated on
a global scale

Diffusion of practice, values and technology that have an

influence on people’s life world wide

Increasing technological scale and information flow

Increasing broader flow of goods, services, money,

information and culture

we can find some of common concepts like mutual

interdependence, exchange, and sharing the community
around the world in all aspects such as social, economic,
cultural and even linguistic aspects CONTINUE…
Although there seems to be a consensus that we are living in
increasingly globalized world, there is by no means agreement about
related issues Compression of space and time, shrinking of world

Globalization has various aspects which affect the world in several

different ways such as:

1.Industrial, 2) Financial, 3) Economic, 4) Political, 5) Informational,

6) Cultural, 7) Social and 8) Ecological

In cultural aspects, there are many international exchanges such as:

1. Spreading of multiculturalism, 2) International travel and tourism,
3) Immigration, 4) formation or development of a set of universal
values, 5) Development of a global telecommunications
infrastructure, 6) Internet, Communication satellites and the other
related tools, 7) Increase in the number of standards applied globally
CONTINUE…
Globalization is the emergence that is common cross-
culturally and across national boundaries

The global communication leads to some extent functional

homogenization of culture and language

Homogenization of culture and homogenization of

language, are particularly relevant for translating
globalization as a reality

The active responses of sub-national languages and cultures

to the global force are also very important for their own
survival and progress
10. Today, English as an International
language
Since 1950s, English is applied as a international language for the
most of situations
The role of Lingua France of English is very clearly
The most power of such Lingua Franca may lead to situations that
many believe that acquiring of their mother-tongue which do not have
universal economic, social scientific and political benefits and
advantages and they waste their time during acquiring and using their
mother tongue for themselves and their children
And also many others who believe that world with one universal
language is wonderful idea that due to unit peaceful world
Eagerness, zeal and enthusiasm to acquire such international language
only plus lack of motivation to acquire their mother tongue during
more than one generation lead to death of one language as results of
lack of speakers
11. Official language or languages in one
country
Multi ligulas are as a usual phenomenon which includes many
millions of people in different countries

There is not particular and exact number among multi lingual people
and also the number of languages

In countries which are called as monolingual countries such as

England, France, German and U.S., there are many percentages of
speakers of other languages

For example, in U.S., 10% of people speak languages other than

English and in England; more than one hundred languages are spoken
CONTINUE…
There are different percentages of multi lingual in different
countries and also there are different reasons for such multi lingual
situations

It is difficult to find balance in number of speakers of different

languages in one country ,and the condition without social
contradiction

In such multi lingual situations, in order to balance linguistic

condition of country, internal changes of society and government’s
policies will be done

The governments’ policies will be done in different ways such as a

selection of one or more native or non-native language or
languages for country as official language or languages
CONTINUE…
 At least two below states may occur:
1.The acculturation condition among the speakers of
particular native languages through mandatory and
compulsory acquiring of the particular languages for long
time (at least more than one generation). In such condition,
the speakers do not have motivation to acquire their mother
tongue and they eager to acquire official language only

2.Different percentages of influences and linguistic

borrowing on and in non-official languages by the official
language or languages during long time (especially more
than one generation). In heavy influences and borrowing,
even new language or dialect will be created, or the
language or dialect will be forgotten
12-Translation
Translation is transfer of concepts from one language to
another in both oral and written forms

Nowdays, because of importance of knowledge, sciences

and modern technology, translation plays a main role
The number of languages as source or target, or large
languages in translation and the topics and subjects for
translation are increasing during the time

Translation in both types, through human and specially

machine (because of lack of cultural and social background)
due to enter and transfer some strange and unknown values
to the target language from source language
CONTINUE…
In reality, the languages are not used for symbols merely, but
they different ways of view to the world

Different cultures and languages families among source and

target languages make problems more in translation

Word for word translation and literal translation of text are two
main highways of entrance strange values to target language

Strange values are not set and suitable to the speakers own
culture of target languages which are as new lexical items or
same words to target language words with new values to target
language
13. Language contact
Language contact or contact vernaculars are contact of
speakers of different languages which dues to influences
and linguistic borrowing

Such contact is depend on different percentages of contact

of speakers, long time of contact, varieties of social
economic and political relationships, similarities of
languages and the other factors

Close contact and heavy influence and borrowing for long

time will due to death of some organ of language body

The most dramatic examples of new language are arising

out of contact situations are pidgins and after that Creole
CONTINUE…
 There are some main characteristics which are belonging to
pidgin languages contrast to natural languages:

1.The lexical items of pidgin languages are more limited than

natural languages, because pidgin languages have minimum
lexical items for communication in particular situations
2.Pidgin languages are found or created during two or three
generations contrast to natural languages, in this way,
natural languages has big treasure of cultural background.
3.Pidgin languages have simple structure contrast to natural
language, such simple structure due to many linguistic
ambiguous cases ,social and cultural ambiguous states
4.Normally, pidgin languages have less social values
5.The values of lexical items of pidgin languages can be
different from lexical items of natural languages which
pidgin languages are outcome of their contract
CONTINUE…
 To conclude:

*Language contact can due to finding new dialect or language

which partly or mostly different from varieties of languages
which are in contact

*Such new dialect or language will have new treasure of

cultural and social reflection

*For long time, through decreasing the number of speakers of

language which are in contact, the death of partly or
completely will occur and long traditional and big treasure
will be forgotten through less reflection in limited vehicle
(language)
14. Motivated factors to learn other languages
There are some motivated factors that lead people to acquire other
than mother-tongue directly or indirectly, and partly or completely

14.1. International relationships

*As it was discussed before, for example, English has a main

political, academic and social role among the different countries to
communicate each others. For long and much power of such role of
English or any language, can due to such feeling that the speakers of
different language, believe that their mother-tongue do not have much
uses in the world and they will lose their motivation to use and also
teach their mother-tongue to their children as next generation
CONTINUE…
 14.2.The press

*Since four hundreds years ago, English is as a primary medium

of the press

*Today, 1/3 of the world’s press are in countries which English

has special importance in them and it is logically that if we
think that most of such press in English

*New York Times, Washington post, Wall Street journal and

Sunday Times have highest printed press in the world

*Since the end of 19th century, advertisements play primary role,

today, especially advertisements in English CONTINUE…
 14.3.Television, Radio, Cinema and Music

*It is estimated that serial films in U.S and England channels are
watched more than 120 countries
*Regarding to BFI, in 1996, 80 percent of produced films in the world
are in English
*However, there are some governments’ policies against English in
France and German, but only 25 percent of Cinema’s income is for
non-English movies in such countries

*During the recent decades, English has distinctive role in songs

*549 from 557 famous music groups (99percent) act in English
language
*1156 from1219 famous singers (95percent) sing in English
CONTINUE…
Nowdays, people believe in what they watched
and listen through television, radio, cinema
and music and they do as they had watched and
listen; in other words, television, radio, cinema
and music are people’s religion. Primary
medium of this religion is English. In such way,
English can affect the languages, cultures and
social treasure of different people in different
countries. For long time and much moer, such
effect can be dangerous because of power of
influence
 14.4. Abroad travel

*The people travel abroad for different reasons such as business and
study

*The main facility in abroad for communication is language which should

be as a international communicative language

*Living, immigration and traveling which are for long time, due to
acquire and use language in order to communicate with the majority in
abroad

*Such acquiring and using language will influence the native language of
the speakers and even their native language will be lost for long time
CONTINUE…
 14.5. Internet
*80% of registered information in Internet is in English which
includes different information of different companies,
organizations, universities, and so on
*However, there is not particular method to determine
particular official language in Internet, but if every body
wants to find answers for his questions in Internet , it is
necessary that he should know English
*It is estimated that in 2020, one milliard users will use
Internet and for such using, mainly, knowing of English is
necessary. The progress of knowing and using Internet
affect the languages of many speakers
*One sociologist stated that now days, finding of translation of
Destoevsky’s works in English in Internet is easier than
finding such works in Russian language in bookshops
 15. Multi complex category of factors
**There are some factors which are called as a multi-complex
category here, because such factors are not distinctive factors
themselves and separate form the others mentioned categories
15.1 .Political condition
The political aexation, military occupation, groups’ migration
and the other political factors, due to new linguistic outcomes.
For example, as result of political asylum, the people will
learn language of foreign country
15.2. Religional factors
Sometimes shifting and acceptance of new religion or triness
to maintenance of own religion due to learn new language
partly or completely CONTINUE…
15.3. Cultural factors
**Interesting in other foreign or other than own cultural and
social groups can be important motivation to acquire new
language, and for long time, joining to such groups due to
communicate through such new language only
15.4. Natural catastrophe
Earthquakes, eruption, drough and the other natural
catastrophes can be reason for many groups’ migration to
areas and countries which different languages are spoken
there
15.5 .Educational, cultural, economical and social
factors
**Such factors, as mentioned before are as separate or
related factors to many factors which can act as main
reasons to acquire new language and lose mother tongue for
long time.
16.Results
Language and culture go hand in hand, each interacting with
and shaping together
Language and culture are inter-linked to each others in
various ways
Language is an integral part of culture and the vehicle of
culture
Effects on every one of them, leads to affect the other as it can
to be called directly or indirectly

Globalization, through linguistic homogenization and cultural

homogenization, affects on language and culture as
modernization, translation, standardization and the others
CONTINUE…
Globalization’s effects can be positive and negative effects
The homogenization of culture due to globalization process
results in the marginalization of indigenous cultures
However, globalization through cultural homogenization,
can be helpful in the progress and development of the
cultures; if ….
The members of one culture community should try to
maintain their positive aspects of culture and replace
negative aspects of their culture through positive aspects of
globalization
The members of one culture community should aware
about outcomes of globalization
CONTINUE…
At the language level , globalization leads to growth of
many countries

The technological and advanced communicational facilities

make the world to shrink and pave way for homogenization

many who believe their mother tongue does not have

universal role , they waste their time to use their mother
tongue or teach it to their children

many others who believe such language (English) is as a

language that can make the world as a peaceful unit world
through understanding same language
CONTINUE…
Some ideas as result of globalization and English or any
language with such effect can be dangerous for national,
local languages, specially endangered language which are
understood to be moribund languages

The industrialists, traders and their marketing techniques

play a major role in shaping the languages

It should be mentioned that, in fact the control over the

language is not in the hands of scholar or academic
institutions. It is shaped by the traders and marketing
agencies
 English in Globalization
English is as a language of communication and official
language in many countries
English is not own language of particular community or
country
Since 1945 (after second world war), English became a
lingua France
More than 2/3 of scientists in the world, write their books
and articles in English
3/4 of letters in the world are written in English
90 percent of all communications in Internet as international
network, is in English
CONTINUE…
The education English programs of English radios are used
by more than 150 millions in the world
More than 500 millions of children in elementary schools
and more than 800 hundreds in secondary and high school
(without china) are familiar with English as a second or
foreign language
However, there are some governments’ policies against
English in countries such as France, German, Spain
There are three circles regarding to English first circle, such
as U.S and England, the second circle such as India, which
English has much dominance and it is applied as a second
language and the third circle ,such as china and Russia
which English has special importance as a international
language and for such countries is as first foreign language
CONTINUE…
In 1994 , 1/3 of the press in the world, are printed in countries
which English has special importance

In 1995, 110 from 160 of linguistics journals(70 percent) were

printed in English

In 1995, there were 5000 radio station that 45 percent of them

were in countries that English has special role

It is estimated that English film serials in U.S. and England are

watched in more than 120 countries

In 1996, 80 percent of produced films were in English

CONTINUE…
85 percent of incomes of world’s cinemas are for English
production of Hollywood
In countries such as German and France, although, there
are governments’ policies against English, but only, 25
percent of their cinemas incomes are for non-English
movies
In 1990, 549 from 557 of famous music groups act in
English
1156 from 1219 of famous singers, sing in English
language
In 1998, U.S. had the first percentage of income of tourism
(50 milliards dollars )
Around 80 percent of register of information in Internet, is
in English .The users of Internet in 1990 had been one
million and in 1993,Tthey became 20 millions and 40
millions in 1995. It is estimated that in 2020, Such numbers
will be one milliard
ACKONWLEDGMENT
I Acknowledge that I
did main from work
of the present work
based on the work of
Hossein Yaghobi.
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THANK
YOU