How Children
Acquire Language In My Culture
In my
culture of the Hobgoblins, children acquire language through listening to their
parents and other adults around them. They are born with very little
intelligence already pre-set into their minds, so it is vital that adult and
parent Hobgoblins teach the children language and that the children observe
language on a regular basis. When I was a child, I remember my mother and
father constantly talking around me in our native language and teaching me all
that they could so I could become proficient at an early age, which would help
me a great deal with hunting and gathering food. As a hobgoblin, I did not
learn more than one language as a child and neither do any of the other
children. This is because we only speak one language, so we only use one
language when talking to one another.
The
prelinguistic vocalizations that our children have come in four stages: the
sounds stage, the utterance stage, the two word stage, and the complete
thoughts stage. The sounds stage lasts from when the hobgoblin child is born up
to around eight months. In this stage, the child makes noises and sounds that
he or she hears around them or any other sounds that they can produce at this
age. After this stage comes the utterance stage. When the child is about a year
old, they begin to form audible words that express what they are trying to say
in just one word’s use. This lasts until they are around one and a half years
old, and afterwards begin to move into the two word stage. In this stage, the
hobgoblin child expresses his or her thoughts in two or three word combinations,
and this will last until they are around two or two and a half. By the age of
three, the hobgoblin child is expected to form full sentences that are
comprehensible to adults and other children alike. In the complete thoughts
stage, the hobgoblin child will be able to use language effectively enough to
communicate with others while hunting for the village, which is vital to our
survival. As they get older, the child will learn and develop a stronger
vocabulary, but at this stage their hunting instincts also kick in and this
level of language is just enough for effective communication when hunting.
How Language
Reflects My Culture
Language
reflects my culture through how we use our language, what we have the most
words (or the biggest semantic domain) for, and how my language can shape the
way we think or how our culture can shape what I speak about. For example, when
the children go hunting, they use many words that relate to hunting and where
to go when hunting. This is because hunting is a big part of our culture and it
is our source of food. Another example of how language can shape the way us
hobgoblins think is through our everyday conversations. In regular
conversation, there will be a lot of discussion between two or more hobgoblins
about nature and what the weather is like that day. This orients our thinking
into becoming one with nature and putting a great deal of care into the nature
around us.
How Language
Demonstrates My Culture’s Norms and Values
My
culture’s norms and values are demonstrated through the way we speak at the Day
of Thanks (one of our norms) and how talking to each other in conversation
shows our values. During the Day of Thanks on the second Wednesday of every
month, we only speak of how good nature is and praise one another’s actions
when having dinner around the fire in our community. Through only speaking like
this, our community is brought closer together, and since we only speak this
way during the Day of Thanks our culture is shown through this norm we have.
During a regular conversation between hobgoblins, our strong community and
friendship values are shown. We speak nicely to one another, showing the bond
that we have as friends. Our community values are shown because all of us are
friends, which represents a strong community connection that we all share.
How Language
Represents Our Adaptive Food Strategies
When
hunting, hobgoblin children have to use certain words to convey where they are,
how far away the prey is, and where to go in the woods to get the best shot at the
prey. Language is an important part of hunting to get food because if there is
no communication when hunting then the hunting trip will be very ineffective.
By telling each other where they are in relation to where the prey is,
hobgoblin children are able to get a more accurate shot with their hunting
equipment. Without language, hunting would be impossible and not beneficial to
us. Language also plays a role in gathering food because communication is key
when letting others know where the best food sources are and how to find them.
The semantic domains of all of the food we get from the ground are very large,
which shows that the food we get from nature and nature itself is very
important to our community and our view of the world.
Areas of Cultural Emphasis
in My Language
The
areas of cultural emphasis in my hobgoblin culture include nature, weather,
family, and the Nature Gods. When talking to another hobgoblin, for example,
the weather is referred to as good or bad for the day. There are many words
used to describe the weather as well. When talking about good weather, the
temperature, sun and wind will be described to one another. On days of bad
weather, the temperature, rainfall, cloud cover, wind, and whatever other bad
weather is happening will be discussed. Since nature is also of cultural
emphasis, we are able to discuss it all the time in our language. We have many
different words for types of water, dirt, rocks, and grass in our community.
Emphasizing what parts of nature we are in and what forms of nature we see
around us is important in my culture.
Metaphorical
Concepts Used in My Language
There
are many metaphorical concepts that we use in my language that relate to
nature. For example, “hard as a rock” is commonly used to describe a food
substance that has gone bad and has therefore become stale and hard. Another
metaphor we use is the phrase “our community is solid”. This means that our
community of hobgoblins is closely knit together and we consider each other
family. “Sharp as a sword” is used when referring to a smart hunter. This is
because our hunters use makeshift swords and bow and arrows to kill their prey,
and this metaphor is only used on the children hunters. The phrase “like moss
and rocks” is used when describing two friends that are really close together.
Friendship is valued in our community, and this metaphor is commonly used by
hobgoblins. My favorite metaphor is “dumb as dirt”. I often insult my siblings
with this one because it is used to show that the hobgoblin is not as smart as
he or she seems. All of these metaphors reflect how we view our own culture as
hobgoblins and how others would view us. These metaphors also show that we are
a developed culture because we are able to use metaphors to describe situations
and objects.
History of My
Language
The
history of my language is not very long since my generation of hobgoblins is
only the 12th generation to live here on earth. Our language started
as whistles and hums, and has since evolved into a fully developed language.
When the first hobgoblins appeared on earth, they were able to communicate
through different whistle tones and hum tones. These whistles and hums were
very effective for hunting because they prey would not be able to spot the
hunter as easily. Our language changed because words, not sounds, were needed
to describe things and occurrences in more detail. For example, I remember one
of my friends telling me that back when the first generation of hobgoblins
arrived, the word for “rock” was two low grunts. Now, since there are different
types of rocks that we need to identify, our ancestors changed the language
into words instead of sounds so it would be easier to understand what they were
saying in conversation. Another example of how our language changed is with the
discovery of fire by our ancestor hobgoblins. With the discovery of fire came
more discoveries of new technology, like bows and arrows, and there needed to
be words for these new findings because sounds would be confused with each
other when talking about them to others. It was also easier for hobgoblins to
talk around a fire with words because the noises that the fire made were too
similar to the ones that our ancestors used. The cultural features that
contributed to this change were the discovery of fire and new technology in our
culture and the finding of the Nature Gods. The wave of new technology (fire,
bows and arrows, swords, furniture, etc.) in the hobgoblin culture pushed the
need for new words for different objects and easier ways to say these words.
When the Nature Gods were discovered by our ancestors, calling them by name
through sounds were believed to be displeasing and disrespectful to them so
names in the form of words had to be given to them. This discovery also lead to
a new vocabulary relating to the Nature Gods and the ways they act, what they
say to us hobgoblins, and how they tell us to worship them.
Nonverbal
Communication
My language
expresses mood, emotion, and beliefs in three different ways: through the
expressions we make when communicating, the way we say certain phrases or how
we refer to something in nature, and how we talk about the Nature Gods. When
talking to another hobgoblin, direct eye contact ensures trust and a connection
to one another that should not be broken during a conversation. Simply smiling
or frowning during a conversation can tell you if the conversation is going
bad, if something was said wrong, or if something a hobgoblin said offended the
other. Mood can be told through these expressions made when communication with
one another. Emotion is shown through how we say certain phrases or when we
talk about nature, and what others observe we look like emotionally on our
faces when they see us. When we talk about nature or say phrases involving
nature, certain emotions are noticed because of the tones of our voices and the
phrases that we say. I see other hobgoblins every day, and I can tell how they
are feeling from looking at the expressions on their faces and how they carry
themselves, whether it is confidently or with grief, for example. Discussion of
the Nature Gods provides insight into what we believe in. They can come up in
everyday conversation, or they can be talked about specifically or referenced
in something we say. For example, I was talking to my brother yesterday and at
the end of my sentence, I thanked the Nature Gods out loud for something I has
previously achieved that day. When talking about the Nature Gods, a hobgoblin’s
eyes will light up and they will come off as light-hearted and thankful,
expressing our belief in the Nature Gods and all that they do for us.
In my
culture, proxemics are expressed through openness in a conversation with
another and distant in a conversation with many. When talking to one other
hobgoblin, it is normal for us to be close together because it ensures trust. The
norm for talking with a large group of hobgoblins is to be more spread out so
everyone can hear each other. Body modification is common for weddings, as when
you are married, you receive an earring made of leaves on your ear to symbolize
your marriage. During the Day of Thanks, it is a part of our culture to paint ourselves
in earth tones to recognize and thank the Nature Gods. Gestures are common when
conversing with another hobgoblin, and they help to express feelings and
emotions in the conversation. Kinesics in my culture are used in conversation
and during ritual dances during weddings and the Day of Thanks. The dances used
for weddings and the Day of Thanks tell stories based on the movements of the
hobgoblin, and hand and arm movements during conversations help to convey what
a hobgoblin is trying to say to another. Facial expressions for hobgoblins are
used to tell how you are feeling to others and they are a part of conversation.
For example, I was sad the other day, so my face was somber when I conversed
with my mother about dinner that night. Eye contact is very important in
hobgoblin culture. It ensures trust and shows that you are paying attention to
what another hobgoblin has to say during a conversation. Object communication is
important in our community. The leaves that everyone wears tells how old you
are, and one leaf is reserved for a social purpose. These leaves are also
placed on the outside of huts to tell who lives inside each hut.
Neologisms
The
neologisms that reflect the pop culture of my language all relate to nature, community,
and different kin relationships. For example, the word “bracken” (see Fig. 1)
is used to describe a hunter that is not good at killing animals, and this is a
term that hunters use to mock another hunter to express a kin relationship. Another
term that is used is “wetmain” (see Fig. 1), which describes a rainy day that
will continuously keep the ground soft and wet. The terms “slog” and “kinbro”
or “kinsis” are all community neologisms (see Fig. 1). “Slog” is used as a term
of endearment and playfulness towards a relative of a hobgoblin that you have
been close with for many years, and that you are allowed to joke with
playfully. The terms “kinbro” or “kinsis” are used for the male and female
hobgoblins (respectively) and they describe a close and personal relationship
to the hobgoblin using the terms. These terms are all included in our slang
register, and they are used around other hobgoblins of close relations.
Vocabulary and how
it is Used
There
is a lot of vocabulary used in my language. Most of the vocabulary relates to nature
and kin relationships. For example, the word “aunt” describes my mother’s
sisters and brothers. The word “uncle” is used to describe my father’s sisters
and brothers. In relation to nature, the word “sunny” can mean that it is a
nice day outside even if there is no sun. The language we use in my culture
reflects the values and norms in my culture because of the way we use this
vocabulary and the way we interpret it. Our language also gives meaning to what
it is to be a hobgoblin and live like we do through the use of kinship terms
and how we refer to different acts and objects in nature. There are also many
activities that us hobgoblins engage in in my culture. The children go hunting,
fishing, gathering, and on their free time they get to play with one another
around various areas in the woods. The adults cook, clean, and sing songs and
dance during the Day of Thanks for the Nature Gods. We all pray to the Nature
Gods at dinnertime and we all tell stories to one another around the fire at
night. There are also semantic domains with words that are commonly used in my
culture (see Fig. 2). Each of the terms in my semantic domains fit with the
category because those are the terms that are regularly used by hobgoblins for
describing things in those categories. For example, there are different ways to
describe the soil in our culture and the soil is important to us because that
is where we grow our food.
How My Language
Reflects the Intersectionalities of My Culture
In my culture,
language can reflect the Intersectionalities of class, gender, and age.
Language reflects class because when you speak to the leader of the month,
formal language is always used for respect and status purposes. Gender is
reflected with language use because the female hobgoblins will usually talk
about more gossip than will the male hobgoblins who like to talk about hunting
and the day’s events. Language that is used when talking about age is also
reflected in my culture because the leaf that you wear shows others how old you
are, and when you are talking to an elder it is customary o be more polite and
charismatic. When talking to a child as a child, it is normal to be more
playful, and when an adult is conversing with another adult it is usual for
them to be on a personal and playful level.
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| FIGURE 1. By: Megan Hall |
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| FIGURE 2. By: Megan Hall |
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