30 April class

Most of our time today was spent listening to two of our peers' final project presentations. Because Bekir and Leping won't be able to join us during finals week, they presented. It was very nice of them to do that because I felt it helped give me some direction in my work. It reaffirmed that much of what I was doing was correct but it also gave me some ideas. They both did a fine job. In fact, knowing that I have to work hard to do well in this class made me think of how difficult it might be for a non-native English speaker. I have much admiration for our classmates from other countries.

23 April class

We spent some time discussing gestures and body language and how they affect communication. Even though they aren't language in a linguistic sense, they do communicate. Sometimes they can communicate very important pieces of information. For example, we talked about how in different cultures gestures can mean different things. In many Middle Eastern countries it is not wise to use the left hand because of its connection to bodily functions in the bathroom. Similarly, the index to thumb ok sign can mean something positive in the U.S. but negative in certain cultures abroad.

We also discussed aspects of the final project. It's difficult to believe the end of the semester is drawing to a close. Lots to do.