The Interaction of Language with Culture

Language is very much cultural. It is the carrier of culture. Culture shapes people's
values, attitudes, different images, and behaviors, etc. Culture shapes the way we think and act
through language as a system of vocal sounds and nonverbal systems by which group members
communicate with one another. It provides a common bond for individuals and play a key role in
shaping individual identity in a certain cultural context. In this sense, language is much more
than a means of communication. It is a critical tool in the development of an individual's identity,
self-awareness, and intellectual and psychological growth. Different verbal and nonverbal
languages reflect the way we talk, think, and behave as well as where we are from.
Language makes our behavior human, distinct from other species. Language usage is
culturally determined and simultaneously contribute the further development of different
cultures. Language influences thinking patterns and behaviors. Words, phrases, idioms, accent,
or local dialects may assume different meanings in different cultural contexts. Generally, for
effective communication, it is essential that there be enough cultural similarities or resonance, or
similar prior cultural experiences between speaker and listeners. However, according to Thomas
Friedman, "The world is flat. With the dynamics of globalization, embracing and celebrating
diversity in global context is an indispensable trend. People who are from diverse backgrounds
and speak different languages should be more open-minded and keep curious about new things
and learn more about different cultures, for example, through language learning.
Interacted with culture, its social attributes as well as its linguistic attributes make
language a complex factor but central to the developmental growth and socialization of children.
Since culture, society and language interact constantly, language usage is fluid and changing
with the social and economic development, especially in cultural context with diversity. In
school setting, it is necessary for teachers of language teaching and educators of curriculum
instruction and supervision to recognize that students who are new to a language may not always
be able to make proper word selections or understand the accurate meanings of particular
colloquialisms, and that student who are from different cultural backgrounds or have cultural
differences in nonverbal communications may not always think, interpret or behave
appropriately in different contexts from their own. In addition, teachers should make an effort to
learn about the values of the family's unique cultural and linguistic background, the cultural cues

of students, and to react properly in a healthy learning climate with respect and support that they
build for students.