HUMA 17000 Lecture 37: HUMA 170 - lecture 37

• School: University of Chicago
• Department: Humanities
• Course: HUMA 17000
• Professor: Xiang

Document Summary

English was viewed as universal and necessary, and having high social status; on the other hand, it was viewed as a language of colonization. Students regularly referenced sentimental attachments to their heritage languages, emphasizing their centrality as markers of unique indigenous identities, along with feelings of shame: i reall(cid:455) a(cid:373) speaki(cid:374)g e(cid:374)glish i(cid:374)stead of (cid:373)(cid:455) (cid:272)ulture. Attitudes are conflicted: mai(cid:374)tai(cid:374)i(cid:374)g na(cid:448)ajo is i(cid:373)porta(cid:374)t, a (cid:455)ou(cid:374)g (cid:373)a(cid:374) said, (cid:862)(cid:271)e(cid:272)ause the la(cid:374)guage is d(cid:455)i(cid:374)g out. Navajo is supposed to be spoken at all times in the house . and [parents] should not be treati(cid:374)g their na(cid:448)ajo like this(cid:863) (cid:894)i(cid:374)ter(cid:448)ie(cid:449), ma(cid:455) (cid:1009), 200(cid:1008)(cid:895). (cid:862)right (cid:374)o(cid:449), (cid:449)e"re losi(cid:374)g it,(cid:863) a toho(cid:374)o. E(cid:374)glish(cid:863): (cid:1012)(cid:1011)% of stude(cid:374)ts sa(cid:455) that lear(cid:374)i(cid:374)g their i(cid:374)dige(cid:374)ous la(cid:374)guage is (cid:448)er(cid:455) i(cid:373)porta(cid:374)t. Hypothesis 1: language affects thoughts because we learn new concepts through language. Hypothesis 3: peoples perception of a language is infused with cultural perception.