The Language Experiment

Part 1

• For this experiment I was communicating in a conversation between my little brother and my girlfriend. I found the experiment difficult because I was very limited to what I could express with just my body language alone. For the most part, it was like a game of charades where I had to use my body to guide them to the words I wanted to say. There were many times were I used my hands to make certain gestures that would allow them to know if they were getting close to what I wanted to say. But they would not always get the exact word, but they would come up with similar words to what I was thinking.

• Both my partners laughed at my facial expressions and body language. They also expressed how they now appreciate being able to communicate and say what they wanted to say to anyone. At first, it was difficult for them to understand my body language, but after some time they eventually became used to it and picked up on cues from my facial expressions and hand signals. Although they rarely said the actual word I was thinking they still managed to keep me in the conversation by saying something similar to the words I was trying to express. My partners did in fact have to alternate to some extent to the way they would usually speak because of my lack of symbolic communication. They would speak at the same speed they would in a normal conversation, but they had to slow down and stop the conversation when they were trying to figure out what I wanted to add to the topic. 

• I believe that the culture that would have the advantage when communicating complex ideas is the culture that uses symbolic language. Because the culture with symbolic language have an alphabet, there are many words they could say that could express an idea. They can also communicate with other people in their culture clearly allowing them to work trade and work together. The attitude cultures may have toward the culture that does not use symbolic language would be an ethnocentric attitude. They would believe that since their own culture uses symbolic language, they must be more advanced that the one who doesn't. Fact is, there are many cultures are the word that may be similar or vastly different from one another. But this does not make that culture have any less value that other cultures. Individuals in our own culture that have difficulty communicating with spoken language are deaf people. Because they  cannot hear the language, most of them cannot make the different sounds we use to speak the words. It can be difficult if you try to communicate with a deaf person by only using spoken language because they will not be able to communicate in the same way. However, they can in fact read lips and this helps them better understand what the other person is trying to communicate. This does not mean that they can't communicate however, because they use their hands and bodies for what is known as Sign Language. Sign language has an alphabet in which a person can form words together, but not sounds.  

Part 2

 

• I was actually unable to last the full 15 minutes using only speech for communication. What made it difficult for me was that whenever I would say a word my body would subconsciously move in correlation. My partners caught me moving my eyebrows when I was curious in what they were saying. They were also saying some things I found humorous and it was very difficult not to laugh, but I eventually gave in. I did not realize if I was making facial expressions or not. It gave me a new perspective on how important facial expression and body language is. 

• My partners expressed how they had more fun when I could not use speech for communication. They found my appearance and tone to be emotionless, and empty. We were able to communicate more effectively, at the cost of the quality of the conversation. Whenever I said something it was short and to the point because I was focusing more on not moving my body or make facial expressions. 

• This experiment has shown me that body language is a very important aspect to the way we communicate with each other. Non-speech language techniques only help what we are trying to communicate with one another. Body language alone can give a person many hints into what that person may be feeling for example. Verbal speech and body language can be used effectively to express an idea or concern. 

• No one is perfect at any one thing, and this also includes reading body language. I believe there are people who can pick up on body language more than others. These people may not understand what you are trying to say until you actually say the words. On the other hand, there are people who read body language so well that they may become offended if you look at them a certain way. I do not believe there is any non-benefit to not reading body language. It can help spot a dangerous situation for instance if a person were hostile. A clenched fist, heavy breathing, grinding teeth, and wide open eyes are all examples of body language that can be used to determine that it would not be safe to approach a certain individual. 

Part 3

• The experiment in Part 1 would have defiantly been easier if I was able to use written language. Being able to use written language would have made communicating with my partners easier. During that part of the experiment I was also able to use body language and facial expressions. So I would have still been able to say what I wanted to say just not verbally. My partners would have understood the writing and we could have communicated entirely through writing if we were required to. 

• The advantage the written language provides to the culture that develops and uses it are preserved ideas and historical accounts. It also proves another mean of communication if a person can not verbally speak. Written language has provided our society with books of fact and fiction that is a form of entertainment. 

• Written language has allowed us to communicate with people around the word who speak the same language. Before the internet, people would send each other written letters that expressed ideas or emotions. But sometimes those letters would take days or even months to receive. The internet has changed our culture drastically. It is now normal for people to walk with their heads down looking at their phone while they cross the street. In my opinion the internet has had both benefits and disadvantages. In the form of written communication, it has helped share ideas with different people around the world. We trade information with people from different cultures and backgrounds. With written communication, recipes for different foods from different cultures can be found on the internet. Before, recipes could only be shared if the person were to physically be shown how to make the food. Globalization includes all types of different ideas and information shared between different people both near and far. So written communication is just as important and verbal communication. 

Environmental Adaptations: Zulu and Andean Indians

Zulu

   The Zulu are a Southern African tribe who are primarily located in KwaZulu-Natal which borders the Eastern Cape in the south, Indian ocean to the east, and Lesotho to the west. They live in flat coastal plains which often exposes them to the sun with occasionally brief rain. This type of climate brings with it intense heat with little relief from the sun. Because of the environment, the Zulu's bodies have biologically developed protections against the weather. For example, their skin has a dark pigment that helps block off the sun's ultraviolet rays. They also have skinnier bodies that have less surface area that allow heat to quickly exist out of their bodies. Because of this biological change, they handle the extreme environment conditions better than people without this advantage. 

During ceremonies, traditional clothes are worn with include: colorful attire, beads, feathers, and local animal furs. These ceremonies include weddings and rites of passage among others. These cultural traditions allow the Zulu to have social standings and a rich cultural society. They practice polygamy which is an example of a cultural aspect that can assist the Zulu population not only in social standing, but also with the environment they face. The more wives a Zulu man has, the more respect he gains among his peers. The Zulu wives are only responsible for their direct families, however this practice can help the Zulu population grow allowing more hunters and gathers to join the society. 

Although there are different tribes with similar and vastly different cultures in South Africa, I would describe the Zulu people as South African because of their geographic location. 

Andean Indians

The Andean Indians are group of people located in South America primary located in the Andes Mountains. These mountains extend from Venezuela to the southern tip of the South America which range to about 4,500 miles long. The average height of the Andes mountains are 13,000 feet above sea level. The climate in the Andes mountains depends on the area considered. There are parts of the long range of the mountains that can be rainy and cold, or warm and dry. There is not much drastic change in weather because the Andes Mountains serve as a wall for South America against the Pacific Ocean. This means that the weather changes are primarily felt down the mountain further into the continent. 

One physical adaptation the Andean Indians have developed are the increased air intake with every breath. It is unsure if the Andean Indians have genetically adapted to the heightened elevation, but there is evidence that a human's body works harder in elevated environments because of the pressure it puts on the body. The higher a human goes above sea level, the more the heart works against the pressure to supply the body with enough blood to keep functioning. However, the Andean Indians seem to have adapted to the environment because they along with the ancestors before them, have lived there for thousands of years. 

A cultural adaptation that the Andean Indians have been accustomed to is the agriculture. Surprisingly, crops have been able to grow in the heights of the Andean mountains. They grow many different crops which include: maize, sweet potato, beans, and many others. Because of this agriculture, food has become more available to the Andean population without much effort. More food means there is more population growth and trade.   

I would describe the Andean Indians as South American also based on their geographic location. Their environment contributes highly to their way of life.

Summary

I would base both races on their geographic location. For the Zulu I have chose South African and for the Andean Indians I have chosen South American. I believe there are both benefits and disadvantages to both views on race. For example, calling the Andean Indians just that based on their appearance would probably confuse many. On the other hand, it may be easier to knowledge the specific group of people being discussed, and same goes for the Zulu. So in my personal point of view, both ways of looking at it are both correct and incorrect.  

Cited Sources

Zulu environment: http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Rwanda-to-Syria/Zulu.html

Zulu physical adaptation: http://anthro.palomar.edu/adapt/adapt_2.htm

 Zulu cultural adaptation http://www.zulu-culture.co.za/zulu_family.php#.VxfX1_krKUk

Andean Indians environment: http://www.livescience.com/27897-andes-mountains.html

Andean Indians physical: http://anthro.palomar.edu/adapt/adapt_3.htm

                                          http://www.ub.edu/HAPPOM/actividades/pdf/rupert2001.pdf

Andean Indians cultural adaptations:http://www.britannica.com/topic/Central-American-Indian

Cultural Descriptions Week 1

1) Descriptive word: Mysterious

I chose the word "Mysterious" because the people who are described keep their rituals hidden from public view. In the article "Body Ritual of the Nacerima", Horace Miner describes how the rites to the rituals are only discussed with children and when they are being initiated (Body Ritual of the Nacerima). People choose to hide their culture for many reasons. For instance, the people selected to participate in a certain ritual must first be accepted or initiated into it. There may be more hidden cultures than just the Nacerima culture which I find extremely interesting.

2) Descriptive word: Similar

The Nacerima have chests in their home in which they keep different charms for different reasons. Some chests can be over flowing with charms for all sorts of different illnesses. They believe that these charms protect them from whatever harm they fear. In the United States, many people from different cultures and backgrounds practice a form of religion. In most religions items which are considered holy are kept around the home. They also believe that these items protect them from illness and harm just as the Nacerima believe the charms protect them.

3) Descriptive word: Ironic

Looking at different cultures requires an open mind and acceptance that the people participating in the rituals are doing what they believe to be morally correct. The text mentions how the specialists, or "holy-mouth-men"; use tools like probes and prods to enlarge any holes which may have created decay in their teeth (Body Ritual of the Nacerima). Some materials that are considered important are then placed within the holes to prevent decay and bring social benefits to the client. It is ironic that the Nacerima go to these specialists to help prevent tooth decay because they put items that are assumed to not be sterile in their mouths.

4) Descriptive word: Fearful

Fear exists in many ways and represents something different for each individual. People may fear insects, heights, and even locations. The "holy-mouth-men" have a temple in which really sick people willingly admit themselves in order to be cured of their illness. The article mentions how people who go to these temples for treatment are forced to eat what they consider to be medicinal materials, and they are also tortured to release the illness from their bodies (Body Ritual of the Nacerima). People who go there are rarely cured and end up passing away from the medicinal rituals. It can be understood why a person would be fearful of these temples but the Nacerima believe that these temples are holy ground in which people are cured of what troubles their bodies.

5) Descriptive word: Understanding

The Nacerima culture certainly has aspects of it that could be considered taboo such as torture and needing a witch doctor to perform exorcisms. It must be understood, however; that these practices are considered sacred to them. It is apart of their way of life and must be respected just like all other cultures. When one observes these practices it can be a highly educational experience about the culture. Observing other cultures is not for everyone because of how disturbing some rituals are considered. No matter how disturbing a culture is considered to be, it is always interesting learning about it and may give the observer another perspective in their own life.

Part B:
1) As an American I feel my choice of words make the American culture seem very strange and foreign. I now see that I was being biased because for all the aspects discussed, I was comparing them to my own culture which is American. Because of how the words "witch doctor" and "holy mouth men", I assumed that the people being discussed were not in an advanced society.

2) I believe the words that I chose that were ethnocentric are: Fearful, Ironic, and Similar. Because I showed some type of uncertainty to the way the medical procedures were conducted, I was assuming that the people did not understand modern medicine which is why I chose "fearful". Ironic was also ethnocentric because I was also assuming that the specialists were not medically trained professionals. Similar was what I believe, also a poor word choice because I was also comparing the people described to Americans. The words that I believe were not ethnocentric were Mysterious and Understanding. When I mentioned mysterious, it was because I believed that this culture was hidden from anyone outside of it. I was not being judgmental it was clearly observational. I also mentioned "understanding" because no matter how different a culture is from my own, there can still be an opportunity to have a new perspective in life.

3) Another word I could of used instead of "fearful" would be "hesitant" although I do not think this word is also unbiased. I also do not believe there is another word for "ironic" that is also unbiased because irony is a word meaning the unexpected. Another word for "similar" could be unbiased would be "related" because it would be from an observational standpoint.

4) I believe it is very important to avoid being ethnocentric and unbiased when describing other cultures because it can be very easy to judge another culture based on its practices. It also prevents the reader from being able to visualize what is being read without the personal bias of the writer in their minds. Although it is a Cultural Anthropologist's job to observe different cultures, it is impossible to not be ethnocentric. Comparing cultures to one's own is done without thought and takes practice and patience to understand that and try to be unbiased. But as long as the Cultural Anthropologist can describe most of what he or she observed without being ethnocentric, it will allow the reader to visualize the culture from the Cultural Anthropologist's point of view.