Linguistic Autobiography Essay

Introduction

Language, as it may seem, is a simple but significant element in a person's life. It is one of the various means used in communication, which is the fundamental aspect used in the interaction and integration of different people. In the world, people use many and varied languages to communicate and interact with one another. Apart from the first lingual that one learns while growing up from parents, guardians or caregivers, most individuals are conversant with other languages learnt in one way or the other.

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Section 1

I consider it a privilege that I do not have to feel left out whenever I am among English or Chinese-speaking people because I can read and write fluently. I do not know about others who find themselves in such situations, but I am sure would be disappointed and frustrated when others are talking, and I understand nothing of what they are saying unless I get a translator. It means that one will have to wait and get second-hand information or else ignore and assume whatever they are talking does not concern you of which is risky since it may turn out the discussion involved something crucial. Thus, although I might not understand other languages used within the surrounding environment, at least I am sure of effective and efficient communication with my family and friends.

Correspondingly, I have grown up in the United States, but most of my relatives are in China, so I have to travel there to visit them or else they sometimes come to check on us. It would be a shame if there were a language barrier between us whereas we share the same nationality. However, nothing like that has ever happened since whenever I need to speak or listen to my fellow Chinese or anyone else who is familiar with the language, I can do so without any challenges. I understand conveniently whatever is being conveyed to me and the same is reciprocated to the other party of which is essential as it helps to strengthen the bond with my people. I know my history despite having to live and study in the US of which would have been a challenge if I had difficulties understanding part of which is written or being said in Chinese. Hence, I know that language is a significant part of a person's life especially if you understand it.

Section 2

In the quest to get the opinion of others on the significance of language in their lives, I engaged in a dialogue with Camila Valeria, who is 27 years old and is a secretary in a certain organization in the country. She came to the US eight years ago from Spain as a college student with her parents before securing a job after studies. Her native language is Spanish and communicates in it fluently. Camila started English classes a few months before immigrating because she knew she would require using the dialect once relocated. Thus, she had not perfected the language by the time she moved, so she had to continue learning to improve on writing and speaking. Within 18 months in the US, she could write and speak English fluently.

However, Camila admitted that she faced several challenges before perfection, especially at school. Sometimes she would have difficulties conveying messages to people especially the impatient ones who cannot wait a bit longer to get everything they are being told. It took a lot of effort to make them understand that it was just the beginning of learning English. At times, she always relied on the help of her classmates to complete particular assignments that were not open to other languages. It came as a lesson that having language diversity is essential especially where one is expected to move from area to another where different dialects are used. She encourages her two younger siblings to pay attention to languages as they are the key to successful interaction with people from different nationalities and with diverse cultures. Now that she enhanced her knowledge of the English language, Camila can perform her duties at the workplace flawlessly and individually without any help as she did at school.

Section 3

Camila's case is similar to mine to some extent except for some slight differences. It was her parents that influenced their immigration, and they had to move from Spain to the US. Similarly, we live in the US instead of China because my parents' jobs are positioned here. We can write, read and speak out native languages fluently although Camila was brought up in Spain, which is her ancestral land until she was almost 20 years whereas, despite my roots being in China, I have grown up as an American. I have grown writing and speaking English, and I am not required to join relevant classes to learn. Camila started at a later age of which is the primary reason she was unable to grasp whatever was being taught during the few months she got trained in Spain. Moreover, despite them being different, it would be correct to say that we at least have two major languages connected to our lives directly. One belongs to places we are living or working while the other connects us back to our relatives in our native countries. I have been able to interact with schoolmates despite our difference in nationalities as it has been of significant assistance to Camila to integrate with work colleagues.

From the two experiences, it is evident that language plays a significant and vital role in our lives and it largely influences how we conduct activities daily. It is through it that we can give instructions and learn as it offers the means of communication that all parties involved can understand. Performance outcomes are better when the language used is familiar to all those involved as it saves time to create space for sharing ideas and opinions where the best and most suitable are selected to address the issues at hand. However, it would be difficult to achieve the intended goals and objectives if there are language barriers hindering understanding of one another. If I were unfamiliar with the language of my people, I would have no interest in knowing their culture because I cannot comprehend whatever they write or say. Similarly, it would have been difficult for Camila to acquire a job in the US if she could not communicate in English as she can hardly integrate with her colleagues. Therefore, language can be used to identify one's identity by establishing their capabilities and effectiveness. It is easy to identify with a specific group of people, but that is only when you can understand the language they are using.