The Role of Culture and language in Communication Process

Image Credit: Juju Films; Flickr; No changes made to the image.

INTRODUCTION

Language and culture are very vital in communication process, but before on brings to light what role they play in communication process, it would be of immense importance to first explain what the terms Culture, Language and Communications are.

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• What is Culture?

According to Microsoft Encarta Premium 2009, Culture, in anthropology, is the patterns of behavior and thinking that people living in social groups learn, create, and share. Culture distinguishes one human group from others. It also distinguishes humans from other animals. A people’s culture includes their beliefs, rules of behavior, language, rituals, art, and technology, styles of dress, ways of producing and cooking food, religion, and political and economic systems.

African mask

E.B. Tylor put culture to be, "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.  Cambridge English Dictionary states that culture is, "the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time."

Culture invokes creativity, imagination, knowledge and wisdom, and experience, and is transferred from one generation to another through communication. It is as well dynamic which implies that it has life, can change with time and grow.

• What is Language?

The word language has many meanings to different people. This means that language has many definitions as there are many opinions of how it came about.

According to Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia 2009, language is defined as a dynamic set of sensory symbols of communication and the element used to manipulate them. It further states that language is the ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication, particularly thehuman ability to do so, and a language is any specific example of such a system.

According to Atolagbe in Oyedele (2004), language is “a system of vocal auditory communication, using conventional signs, composed arbitrary patterned sound units, and assembled according to set when interacting with the experience of its users.”

Language is dynamic and change or grow, creative and complex (used to express our ideas, thoughts and feelings), arbitrary, culture dependent (culturally bounded and transmitted, and passed from generation to generation), discrete, systematic etc.

• What is Communication?

Communication coined from the Latin word commūnicāre, meaning "to share" is the act of delivering and processing intended meaning, and messages from one place or entity to another through the use of mutually understood signs and medium.

Dancing African Lady

Communication among we humans is a nonstop exercise which takes place wherever or whenever people make contact with each other. It is dynamic in nature, systematic, involves the processes of encoding and decoding, fed and sustained by feedback and is culturally sustained and recreated. Such thing like handshakes, icons, symbols, music and dance, songs, folklore, sculptures etc all have one intended meaning or the other in communication.

• Role of Culture in Communication Process

Communication practices in any part of the world can be said to  be largely created, shaped, and transmitted by culture.
In cultures with a high power index like in most of Africa, the young show respect for elderly people, the boss and teachers. They consider them as a kind of father. They expect them to tell what to do and they will hardly argue with them.

Image Credit: James Joel; Flickr; no changes made on the Image.

Culture Influences Decoding

Cultures influences decoding process through ethnocentrism, cultural filters, emotions, value
judgements, expectations and stereotypes. How people understand a given message depends on their cultural affiliation. For example, in Africa (among the Igbos), it is seen as a taboo or lack of respect if a younger person to addresses an elderly person by his name (eg. Nduka) without adding salutations like uncle, brother, mazi, dede, ichie etc to such name (eg. mazi Nduka). The same cannot be said to be the same in liberal America where even children are free to address elderly people by their names without it being understood as a sign of disrespect.

The way one society understand a cultural trait, might be different from the way another society understand the same cultural trait.

·         The Role of Language in Communication Process

The role of language is crucial in this process of relationships in communication. Language limits what ideas or concepts are available in a particular situation and help us to shape reality. In every aspects of our lives we engage with, and resist with, the meanings available through language, to give clear meaning to every aspect of our lives. Ideas and understandings available through language shape our practice in a variety of ways in everyday interactions. Be it spoken language in form of songs, folklore, friendly chat, speech in a conference  etc, or unspoken language in form of icons, dance, body gestures, signs and symbols etc, what is sure is that communication is passed on when such language is in transition

Language as a Tool for Interaction

Language is the main tools used to interact and to express ideas, emotions, knowledge, memories and values depending on each culture. Language is also the main vehicle for cultural expression and is essential for collective and individual identity. It is passed from generation to generation to give identity and pride with a sense of belonging to a community or society.

Through language we can connect with other people and by doing so make sense of our experiences through time.

Language is used to pass on Skills

Imagine what it must be like for a child to develop skills that a parent or teacher has. As a parent, teacher, or other type of caregiver, you shape a child’s language development to reflect the identity, values, and experiences of your family and community and society in general. This is done by communicating to the child in a language known to you about such an identity, or values and experiences.

Family. https://pixabay.com/en/baby-caucasian-child-daughter-20607/

Therefore, it is up to you to create a warm and suitable environment in which your child can grow to learn the complexities of language and how to communicate effectively with them. The communication skills that your child learns early in life will be the foundation for his or her communication abilities for the future. Strong language skills are an asset that will promote a lifetime of effective communication.