Anthropology 1025F/G Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Omen, Laura Bohannan
22 Jun 2012
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Document Summary
Language and culture are related to a great extent and upon closer examination, it is evident that culture shapes language. Language is merely a systematic set of symbols and signs with learned and shared meanings (cultural anthropology, p. 326). Such symbols and signs are given meaning through culture that is, through various customs, beliefs, ideals, etc. In other words, language can be seen as a tool to express one"s cultural background. It can be said that culture shapes language through the analysis of certain words or phrases. In our culture, we are familiar with phrases such as it is raining cats and dogs . We immediately know that this expression means that it is raining very heavily. However, this may seem foreign, moreover unusual, to an individual of a different culture, as they would interpret the phrase in direct context and expect dogs and cats falling from the sky.
