Fani Nabila Titania

17020084066/ Cross-Cultural Understanding 2017C

Topic: What do you see yourself and your culture studying English language or foreign
language?

When we learn a new language, unconsciously we intern a new culture of its language in
our life. In order to understand what the native speakers say about, we should know the speakers’
intentions. The language learners need to be culturally aware of what their utterances might
convey to understand the speakers’ meaning. Thus, learning a new language also bring new
cultural understanding. As a Javanese that is known as sociable person and humble, sometimes I
was change into individually person when I studying English. I think it is influenced by English
culture. For instance, I rarely talk to stranger people and don’t care about what the other people
do around me as long as they don’t bother me. Furthermore, I feel that my mindset was change
into more open minded. As we know that in our culture, we cannot argue the opinion which said
by the people that older than us. Because they have high level of social status, so we should be
polite to them. However, I think it does not matter if it is not suitable with our values, we can
debate their opinion because we have same right to speak our thought. Most of people in my
village think that women don’t deserve to get higher education because they just being
housewives in the future so they just need to get married. In contrast, I have my own perspective
that women deserve to get the higher education and have chance to reach their dream. The
Javanese tend to used indirect sentence in their communication. But I prefer to speak to the point
directly, I say yes if I agree and say no if I’m not. From those, you can see how studying a new
language brings new culture in my life in terms of values and thought. Moreover, it is influenced
my habit and my fashion style. For example, when I wake up in the morning I try to do a little
exercise, get my coffee morning and try to more discipline. Also I tend to wear jeans or style up
like their culture but I still proud to wear Batik as heritage of my culture. In conclusion, while
studying a new language we can absorb a new culture. Not only absorb but we should filter it
which culture that appropriate for our values to express ourself.