Culture vs. Language: An Obscure Border, but Homologous Relationship

There exists a line that lies between culture and language that separates the two; however, that border may not even be considered a line. If there is a line, it is most definitely blurred beyond noticeability. Most people believe there is a line because of a majority consensus that there is always a line. The relationship between culture and language is complex due to its functioning within each factor. Vyvyn Evans of Psychology Today believes that language is fundamentally the search for meaning, consequently provided by culture, clearly defining the border (Evans). While this is true, the boundary of culture and language appears to be far less defined than Evans implied. Language is culture; that sentence is a palindrome. Both culture and language are interchangeable, conversely being able to birth one another; however, their relationship is rather simple and effective when analyzing how they interact.

People built language as a tool of correspondence between and within cultures (Evans). However, we cannot fully comprehend culture “without having direct access to its language” (Guessabi). Evans claims that language originated from culture; however, the inverse is also true (Evans). If language can give clues into its originator: culture, then it is most definitely a factor of culture (Encyclopedia Britannica Inc). If it is indeed the most important factor of culture, as Britannica says, then culture cannot be fully functional without some design of communication (Encyclopedia Britannica Inc). A.L. Krober once stated, “‘culture, then, began when speech was present, and from then on, the enrichment of either means the further development of the other.’” (Guessabi). His description of this relationship provides ample support for the true origin thereof. Moreover, the system of culture must be built from language instead of language deriving from culture, for culture cannot stand in the absence of language.

The idea that language is the only form of communication is fundamentally false, for one can produce no sound and still “signal” what they want to express. Culture itself is a language specifically because it is a projection of its people’s desires and goals (Guessabi). The use of symbols to represent “beliefs, feelings, identities, or events” is not the only way of conversing; culture shows this by having ways of “bringing beliefs, feelings, and identities into the present context” (Guessabi). Evans says that language is “moulded, and honed by culture, in order to facilitate the shared values… of any community” (Evans). While this is somewhat true, the honing of language does not directly follow the user’s establishment culture. Since communication through culture is equal to the communication through language, culture is able to function as its own language, consequently honing culture (Guessabi). “To know a culture is like knowing (and participating in) a language” (Guessabi). Therefore, language is possibly its own culture and culture is possibly its own language. The homologous connection is undeniable.

The correlation between one’s culture and one’s use of language is a simple concept. Environment influences every single human being. Humans also have the grand ability of creating and producing their own environments. With each environment comes language, mentality, and culture (Evans). The language factor produces discussions from which most people influence from the most (Day Translations). Those discussions then build mentality, giving a particular consensus over the population (Day Translations). Those factors are then combined and utilized to create the rest of culture: literature, music, religion, customs, etc.

There are smaller, more defined subsets and sections of language, mentality, and culture because of the overwhelming number of differences located amongst the many people of the world. Geographical, social, and functional distinctions also are increasingly prevalent when looking across other cultures and languages (Day Translations). Inter-cultural interactions are specifically prepared ones because of the deep-rooted nature of language and culture (Day Translations). Many see this everyday as one researches one culture in preparation to not offend and converse properly; however, that complexity is truly the only depth of which this idea goes for someone understanding the basics of the culture/ language relationship.

“Language communicates through culture, and culture also communicates through language” (Guessabi). Culture indeed matters. Tremendously. Culture’s very existence requires the presence of language. Without both or one or the other, the world as we know it would be utterly distinct. People would never express internally formulated thoughts for those trying to comprehend another (Encyclopedia Britannica Inc). There would be no system of definition or interpretation. People would never form a consensus. Valued voices would disappear amongst the scrambles to search for meaning. The “golden triangle” is no longer present if the world loses culture and language (Evans). People would also no longer hold relationships with each other. That is the terrible reality of no culture or language; however, if those who use each factor understand their relationship and history, then they can indeed produce the greatest good.

Works Cited

Day Translations. “The Relationship between Language and Culture Defined.” Day Translations, 11 May 2018, https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/language-and-culture/#:~:text=The%20set%20of%20attributes%20of,for%20international%20communication%20and%20cooperation.

Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. “Language And Culture.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/language/Language-and-culture. Accessed 13 January 2021.

Evans, Vyvyn. “Culture Matters! How Cultural Knowledge Influences Language.” Psychology Today, 6 March 2016, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/language-in-the-mind/201503/culture-matters-how-cultural-knowledge-influences-language.

Guessabi, Fatiha. “Blurring the Line between Language and Culture.” Language Magazine, https://www.languagemagazine.com/blurring-the-line-between-language-and-culture/. Accessed 13 January 21.