TALKING POINT: LANGUAGE BARRIERS
What do Subway and a Catholic church have in common? (Aside from the fact that in the most simplified version of each, it’s all about the bread.)
Subways and Catholic churches are places where language barriers are particularly thin. Even if you do not speak a word of the local dialect but you have a prior knowledge of the expected performance in these places, you will be able to follow along because the exact same words and actions happen every time you go. A Subway employee asking me if I wanted a taco would be equally surprising as a dance break being added to a Catholic Mass. It makes sense then that when I was recovering from a recent sickness in Taiwan I sought out both of these places for a sense of comfort. There are many other examples of places with thin or nonexistent language barriers that are important to the daily life of immigrants, tourists, and culture-shocked exchange students alike because of the temporary relief offered from the pressure of existing in an unfamiliar place.
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Subways and Catholic churches are places where language barriers are particularly thin. Even if you do not speak a word of the local dialect but you have a prior knowledge of the expected performance in these places, you will be able to follow along because the exact same words and actions happen every time you go. A Subway employee asking me if I wanted a taco would be equally surprising as a dance break being added to a Catholic Mass. It makes sense then that when I was recovering from a recent sickness in Taiwan I sought out both of these places for a sense of comfort. There are many other examples of places with thin or nonexistent language barriers that are important to the daily life of immigrants, tourists, and culture-shocked exchange students alike because of the temporary relief offered from the pressure of existing in an unfamiliar place.
Read more...