Roudha AlEmadi

ENG104- Dr. Queen

My Language/Culture Diary

Have you ever wanted to discover other cultures throughout languages? All of us know how
language is linked to culture and vice-versa, but this relationship confuses me sometimes as to
how there are different dialects and different cultures within a country. For example, a small
country like Qatar with a small population has different cultures even though it was part of Saudi
Arabia of which all the gulf countries were parts, having the same culture until a few decades
ago. However, since they have separated into different countries each one of them began having
a different tradition, culture and language. the more I grew up the more I discovered the
differences between these cultures. It is true that language is a main part of each person’s culture;
it influences culture since we are born with it, as the language and culture we were nurtured and
educated in came from our parents’ generation. However, it is interesting to note how different
dialects and cultures emerge within the same language.

With regard to the relation of culture with language, I will share my experience with Qatari’s
culture. understanding a culture plays a huge role in becoming competent with its language. In
Qatar, each family or tribe has different cultures, and not all of us communicate within the same
dialect as we have several dialects depending on the family and tribe. For example, there are
Bedouins and Urban communities that speak different dialects and follow different cultures.

A fact of a huge difference between these two is some letters when speaking to women. For
example, Bedouins end most of their words with the letter “ ‫ ”ش‬and “‫( ”س‬sh and s) while
speaking to women. Moving on to Urbans, they end most of their words with” ‫( ”ج‬h). but when
speaking to men, both of them end most of their words with a “‫( ”ك‬k).

Here in Qatar, we can recognize each other’s culture or even families throughout the language,
this shows how language is more than just a means of commination, language is an important
part of each one’s culture as it is impossible to recognize the deep meanings of other cultures
without knowing the language.

When I was a child, I did not know that we had different Qatari dialects, I remember hearing a
different dialect than mine by a Qatari girl and I was confused.

When one of my classmates told me that she’s having “ ‫ ”حاشي‬for dinner. Which I knew then that
it is a traditional food of rice with camel meat.

I went home asking my father “what does this word mean? and why didn’t she say it as we do?”
Of course, for a little girl, how would I know about other cultures and families and how dialects
are in Qatar.

“Roudha, not everyone speaks with the same words you are used to”. my father replied.

As a child I did not bother thinking about what he said or what does that mean but growing up I
started to know more and more about different cultures and dialects which is curious. Cultures
and Languages are as a deep ocean that would never end no matter how much you drown in. I
surely would love to learn a new language and know its culture, as culture is essential to learning
a language. It has many benefits; to get to know the world better, exposure to new experiences,
simulating the mind, and enhancing our social life.

I realized it when I was transferred from an independent school to an international school. I had
to face a lot of struggle to learn English, but it taught me a lot about how language is related to
culture, and how learning a new language impacts fusion of cultures and thereby enriches
cultures. For example, when we learn the ways of greetings and manners in a new language, we
naturally blend them with our culture and this helps us develop a new practice which we think is
better than that we have been used to. In this way, we contribute to the enrichment of cultures.

I am a Qatari, born and brought up in Qatar. To be honest, my experiences were not a lot about
how language and cultures are around the world as I studied and lived around my environment
and with people having the same first language as I have. When I was in the stage to enter a
school, my parents admitted me to an independent school, so all of my education was in Arabic. I
did have an English lesson, but it was not as efficient and valued as international schools.

However, when I reached grade 4, my parents transferred me to an international school as they

wanted me to develop my English language since proficiency in English would help me in future
studies, in getting an admission in a good university, and in getting a good job. They were
researching and thinking about it as in the past it was not common to see many Qatari’s in an
international school. In addition, the fact that my elder siblings graduated from independent
schools and therefore it was not easy for them to decide whether to send me to an international
school.

One of the admission requirements for a private school is to take a test before they admit you in,
and that is what I was having anxiety about as my English was not perfect at all. I remember my
elder sibling came to my door laughing “I dare you to get accepted, you can’t even spell the
school’s name.” I rolled my eyes with confidence “You’ll see.”. anyway, my parents got me a
private tutor to improve my English skills before taking the test and it helped me a lot in reading
and writing. I struggled to a great extent to learn English because it was a foreign language, and I
did not have much exposure to it. However, I worked hard and improved my skills in English.
Thankfully, I got accepted into the school even though I was not satisfied with my grade.
While I started attending the school, I discovered a new environment, much different from the
one I was used to before. I was extremely nervous and uncomfortable talking in English while I
was surrounded by students who are fluent in this language. Having all my subjects in another
language that I used to have was a difficult process that I attempted to get used to.

In my first week in science class, I remember we were studying about the cell. As for me, I was
wondering what a cell is! Until the teacher asked me “Roudha could you draw a cell in the
board”.

My face suddenly burned a bright red. I stood on trembling legs, and slowly inched toward the
board at the front of the classroom unable to refuse the teacher’s request, but not confident to do
it. My teacher could sense my discomfort and embarrassment and asked gently: “Could someone
volunteer to help Roudha?”, I remember hearing someone whispering, “of course she knows
what a cell is, how come she doesn’t? “.

I never felt such an embarrassment in my life ever. However, this incident made me decide that I
must overcome my difficulty in learning English, so I worked hard to succeed and achieve in my
studies to make my parents proud of me and to break the fear I had, and thankfully I did. I
increased the time I spent to study, listened to BBC radio, watched BBC and Al Jazeera
channels, read books in English, learned new vocabulary and utilized every opportunity I got to
have conversations in English. I was completely engaged in activities that would improve my
language. I could achieve what I aimed at. This is why I am here studying at a worldwide
university.

Now I know how languages and cultures are intertwined. When I became proficient in English, I
could converse with many people from different parts of the world. I understand that English is
spoken in different accents in different parts of the world. People who follow different cultures
share some common characteristics of conversation and cultures when they learn English. This
impacts in their individual cultures as well. I have sensed it in the changes in the behavior of
many Qataris who speak English. Culture keeps changing, rather improving when we learn
languages.

To conclude with, I realize that culture is a growing phenomenon. It takes in good aspects from
other cultures. The speed of its growth is increasing a globalization is increasing. The central
thread that strengthens its growth is language. It is a positive development that can bring about a
common global culture that connects all the cultures of the world. It will improve the outlook of
the human race and humanitarian qualities. Let us hope that the future world is a global
community that is enriched in virtues adopted from different cultures through languages.