Hizkia Dwiatmaja
1400410023/Digital Communication
Subject: English for Communication
Lecturer: Yunias Monika
Language
Issues and its Power in Communication
Analysis
From “English Venglish” Film
[Film Summary]
English Vinglish is an Indian drama
film directed by Gauri Shinde and was released in 2012. The story is about
Sashi, a housewife who feels degraded from her well-educated husband and
daughter because of her inability to speak and understand english. One day,
Sashi’s older sister Manu, invites Sashi’s family to her daughter wedding in
New York. It is decided that Sashi will go alone first to New York to help Manu
organizes the wedding and soon her family will follow during the wedding day.
Traumatized by the accident in New York coffee shop due her inability to
communicate in english, Sashi decided to secretly enrolls in english class for
four weeks so the same accident will not happen again and the mocking from her
family would turns into respect.
[Analysis]
English Vinglish depicts the most
ordinary aspects in life, such as family values and relationships. Despite of
the elements of family and respect, the film brings up another interesting
phenomena in communication such as language issues and influences. Sashi’s lack
of English skill makes her into a constant jokes by her husband and daughter.
When conditions forced Sashi to go to New York, that’s where she must be able
to win over the surfacing language barrier in communication.
Before Sashi went to New York, she
is terrified with feeling of insecurity. Sashi who knows only Hindi language
has to face with foreign language that became a great aspect that affects her
life. Once in New York, problems and mistakes kept her in humiliations, such as
the hardship to communicate or just when ordering food in a coffee shop. All of
these happened just because she can’t communicate well in English, resulting in
a border of communication. It is at this point that Sashi realized that her
lack of English skill is holding her down. When Sashi saw an ad in a bus passed
by, she decided to takes English class to improve the English of hers. Then the
film shows the transformation of Sashi, from the mild housewife that only knows
Hindi language to the confident woman that adapts in speaking English.
The communication in this film is
shown to be limited and affected by the difference of language and the spaker’s
social background. This is what we called as intercultural communication, a
form of communication between individuals or group with different religious,
ethnic, social, cultural backgrounds. It is a common thing that people from
different countries will encounter problems when they communicate with each
other, because of their difference in language and backgrounds. When Sashi’s husband
hug an american girl in a way to say greeting, Sashi interprets it based on her
beliefs and culture. When the receiver uses information from his or her culture
to interpret the message, the message that they interprets may be different
from what the speaker intended. Using the help of nonverbal cues such as facial
expression and hand gestures are not enough to create mutual understanding
between intercultural communication. Therefore, having knowledge of different
cultures and understanding language skills create the most effective way to
communicate. Sashi joined the English class to study the way of communicating
between different languages, and so she is able to understand the message and
their cultural stereotypes.
Understanding
new language is a very powerful trait that gives great advantage in society.
With the ability to speak well, peoples will not face troubles when they
communicate with other from different background, culture, or language. They
will be able to convey their opinion, and desire, motivate or persuade, which can
creates understanding between each other. The language barrier will not be an
obstacles for delivering messages anymore. For example in the film case, Sashi was
able to order correctly and with such details when she went for eat with
Lawrent after she took some of English class. Language is also the tool that
can helps us build relations with others. When language is used well, it can
sparks the emotion in others. True feelings expressed in the language can
deepens the connection of peoples, and change their point of view. It is shown
at the end of the film, Sashi also gains respect from their family by the power
of English language. Her family views her as higher class woman in education,
and regret that they had belitte her before. That’s why language can also be
seen as a powerful tool. It helps to shapes how the world will respond to you,
through the messages you deliver with your language in communication.
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