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Monday, May 19, 2014

Timeline "Encounters with the English language and American (or any other) culture"

Please upload your timeline here. You can also post some comments on chapter 11. Thanks!

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for the oportunity Professor
    I would like to share my timeline related to English
    When i was a child my first experiance with English was an English song i was amazed for the song because i could undestand some words but unfortunately i could not learn English by that time i was not interesting in English, however, many years later in a English class i listened to the same song i had listened to, but in this time i understood every single word i was excited for it.
    If i understood some words when i was a child, i would lern and acquire the English language. I do not know if my experiance was just luck but i was interesting in English
    In conclution the first experiance was a nice begin to be interesting in English
    Thanks

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  2. Greetings!
    Worldwide there are many cultures that have their own features about time and ways to greet in my opinion this is great due to the fact that the differences make the world runs, moreover, when we learn a new language it means we learn culture and we have to learn every single aspect related to it.
    Handshakes, hug, bows and personal spaces are just some aspects that we have to get familiar in every culture and country around the world.

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  3. Hello professor
    MarĂ­a Eugenia My history about encounters with English or American culture. Excuse me but it is not possible add the time line how picture, I only describing it. 2002.- I learnt same vocabulary in English class in the school. 2005 I heard a song a English “my heart will go on” by Celine Deon, I liked say in English. In this experience I couldn’t understand many words. But it seemed very interesting. Then listened “Imagine” by John Lennon in that learnt new words in this song, and the message of this topic seemed very interesting for my life. 2007 when I entered in the University in English level. I did dialogues with my partners I learnt many vocabulary. 2008.- I read in same books and web pages about same characteristic of American culture. 2009.- I saw Titanic film in that same expression I couldn’t understand same word but I learnt same vocabulary. 2014.- I met Sara American person, she told about characteristic of American people as many doubts, as the stereotype of Homer Simpson. I think this visited was very interesting for understanding this culture it included same question for the better understanding.
    I think the model than purpose is in fact for learning culture, it implies the participation, description, interpretation and response. In one assumptions said the observation, communication, consciously choose to change. I think the observation is important for acquires new knowledge about culture. Also the motivation is crucial for encourage the knowing about different characteristic of culture.

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  5. Hello Professor
    About my encounters with English
    2004 My first encounter with English was when my teacher of English made us sing the song of the “La Isla Bonita” of Madonna for my final test, where I could understand some words and the meaning of the song; I really appreciate those moments in my high schools.
    2010 When I enter to the San Andres University at Linguistic and languages department, especially when I started to pass English levels with professors of the university.
    2014 When I participate in last week´s cultural event at Cinemateca. Watching the LOVING STORY documental when I can see American’s people ( afroamericanos) they show their point of view about discrimination and racism
    2014 When we were visited by Sarah a native speakers of English, where we can ask some question about her religion, family, profession, culture and others.

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  6. Hi Professor!
    About this topic, my first encounter with the English language and American culture was in 1995: I was watching TV and there was a program which I was very interested in. this one was THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRE. For any reason the program was transmitted in English from the very beginning. I was shocked because of the sounds and phonemes the little girl Laura Ingalls used to communicate. Until then, I only knew how to speak in Spanish. I liked the series so much that I started to understand a little what it was about. For instance, the characters, the drama, etc. until we moved to another city were the program didn´t show up! Then in 1999 we moved to La Paz city were I met my godmother at school. She was from New York. In order to improve my scores, she used to motive me by sending letters, and I wrote her back. Years later when I was 16, in 2004, she asked me if I was able to write her in English. It was disappointing for me, but Y said “No”. 2006 As the days went by, I decided to teach English myself. It wasn´t easy at all, but I liked it very much. As soon as I graduated from high school, I decided to register at an institute of foreign languages were my first instructor was an American Citizen. He used to tell us some sorties about the American culture: how they salute, how they meet at formal or informal meetings. Even he introduces me to a friend from California. In conclusion, those are the most outstanding facts in my TIMELINE, thanks for the opportunity.

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  7. hello professor!
    I`m sorry for not writing before I had a problem with my email.
    My first encounter with the English language was in 2005 I had a teacher who taught me the English she once told me that I would sing in English it was a classroom activity then I sang the song this was the song ABBA the song was nice, my teacher sing with me, so I learned the English and I wanted to talk and sing like them in 2007 I was listening to classic music in English this music was very interesting for me, I wanted to understand the lyrics of the song, it like me then I went to the internet dowload the lyrics of song and I translated word by word but was it not well translated then it interested me more, I listened and sang the song I wanted to pronounce same that the singer it was " la isla bonita" from madona after that, I listened many songs in English besides I have noticed tha the song was very romantic and singers as expressed in the song I wanted to pronounce like them. then in 2011 I wanted to study linguistics and idioms I thought that there I would learn the English also becouse a career is important but I had difficult in the pronuntation and the writing for me it was not easy then I thougth reinforce my English becouse the problem was of school teachers who taught me; they were not aware of my problem they always gave me good grades and they made me belive that I know the English, now it is great problem for me but I want to continue with my study learning the English I can improve my Enghish.
    thanks for giving me the opportunity to learn the English

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  8. My first encounter with the English language was in 2001, in september 11 of 2001, as all people know, a terrible accident happened in the United States, the Twin Towers were distroyed. I remember this fact as the first one that I heard about United States, it was shoking becausemy family and I were celebrating the birthday of my sister when we heard about it and then my sister should do a homework for school, so she bought many newspapers and she also searched about this topic on internet and I helped her so I could learn a lot from this fact. I started knowing that it was one of the most powerfull countries on the world and that was the reason for the attack.
    Then on 2006, I use to go to a church. There I knew a teenager that came from the United States, my friends and I asked her a lot of things and there I realized that her country and ours had big differences.
    In 2008, my last year of high school, the teacher prepered a festival, we had to prepare some activity to show in front of the class and then, if we were chosen, in front of the school. I decided to sing and that was the first time that I get interested in an american cultural issue, the music.
    And then on 2010, once when I was walking on Eloy Salmon street I saw a woman who couldn´t speak Spanish, I realize that I could understand what she was saying, so I helped her, she was asking for the price of a cell phone. It was an interesting experience, so I decided to learn more about languages.

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  9. Comment about chapter 11.The Culture Learning Process.
    Well there is an interesting part that called me the attention is the acculturation according to Kim (1998) is a process where you have to discard cultural behaviors or attitudes that do not fit the new culture while at the same time acquiring new ones, for me this is an important process that everyone has to pass to know who you are or to know what identity you have. The done that you do not know who you are or the done that you feel confused about in which culture you belong is not a problem, you are not lonely in contrast it is a process, so you have to concentrate on knowing yourself and try to break with the dilemma that talks about in which culture you belong, you are not considered as a inferior identity or incomplete, either native language/culture or second Language/culture because you are independent, this can solve the problem of identity among cultures.

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  10. TIME LINE
    ________________________________________________________________
    2003 2004 2007 2008 2010
    (2003) My first experience with English was with my teacher of English in my school San Simon de Ayacucho I do not remember the name of my teacher because I did not like the English but the teacher tried to encourage me with high scores and I started to have curiosity toward the English Language.
    (2004)My second experience was when I had to depart the school because of familiar problems so I moved to a new school called Simon Rodriguez where the teacher did not have the talent enough to teach so I was losing the interest in that subject.
    (2007) My third experience was when I was working in a discotheque called California I was working like a waitress so I have to serve American tourist and I did not know how to ask them about their demands I had interesting about English language again.
    (2008) My fourth experience was when I started to study English in a private Institute called Don Bosco I was so motivated to learn the language and the teacher was excellent tutor for me thanks to him now I am motivated yet but I could not finish the course because of work.
    (2010) My fifth experience was when I decided to study in the UMSA because I discovered that every time I am hearing or watching something in English I have that need or curiosity about how those people can domain the language, how can they use this language so I would like learn about all the aspects that the language involve.

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  11. Thanks so much for sharing these amazing personal experiences and encounters with the English languages. I could notice that we all got interested in English after listening a song, an interesting or shocking event (Sept. 11), watching a TV show, etc. All these simple, but very meaning events have motivated us to learn English. I´m glad you were able to articulate this.

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  12. Well my first contact with a Foreign Language was when I worked in an ONG working with Italians were 3 very interesting years was a motivation to learn a foreign language like Italian in umsa could learn and study the English language as it was clearly something not so new for me because I listened the English language songs of my favorite artists but mostly it is something very important because you can talk to another foreign person and I had the opportunity to talk with a foreing person so that's my little story

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