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For the purposes of this discussion, two sources discussing culture, language and race will be viewed. One is a chapter of the book “Racialization and Language” by Bonnie Urciuoli concerning the racialization of certain people and the impact racism has on one’s understanding of culture. The other is “Michael Silverstein in conversation: Translatability and the uses of standardisation,” a video interview with Michael Silverstein, discussing problems of translatability. The sources find their particular topics intersecting and discuss similar themes through their own professional lens. The understanding of language and associated culture is attempted in both pieces. The text and the video presented to share a theme regarding cultural and linguistic differences. In the book, it is stated that a community is always a group of people unified by their shared interests and culture, as well as a system of communication.
Similarly, it emphasizes that meaning translates differently among various people, which changes the common perception of a culture. Using the western standard as a lens to understand others is often reductionist or racist, as a culture’s language complexity gets mowed down to suit a particular framework. With translation, similar problems exist. Some words or phrases do not have a direct translation or do not make sense when seen through a translator’s lens. Similarly, not all languages process the concept of “meaning”. Therefore, understanding certain terms as they relate to the English language is an impossibility. The video then discusses standardization in more detail, positioning that as a way to connect people within different cultures. They highlight the connection between language, race and culture, which determines how people are seen by others. Like the racialization of certain types of people, languages can be racialized and adapted into biased rhetoric.
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