We have learned something about linguistics in this course, presentations of two groups are also interesting. But in my point of view, the performance of the second group is a little bit confusing. I also heard same thoughts from other foreigner students. One of them said that they can do better if they try to explain the topic of their drama. One Pakistani said that the content of drama seems irrelevant to other content on their ppt. Some of foreigner students also expressed that they don’t understand what the second want to express in their performance without an introduction. As for the course, I have learned some familiar contents. In my 4 years college life of studying English, I learned a lot about linguistic in classes. This course reminds me of that time. I think it is amazing to learn something about linguistics. Because in daily time we barely notice our words said out and just use them naturally without thinking what they really are. For me, I think pidgins and creole are interesting. Nigerians and Haitians gave their opinions. Nigerian are using pidgins, and one student explained this in a clear way. He said that their pidgins language is simplifying English. It is really easy to understand in that way. As for Haiti, the Haitian said that they speak creole. What’s more, they mentioned 666 is a bad number. Once I saw it and got to know this from a Japanese animation. They remind me that 666 is a symbol of devil or Satan, and this time I think I will never forget this meaning. Again, I learned a lot from my foreigner classmates.

However, I do think there is some place needed to be updated in ppt such as netspeak words. First, some of those words are too old-fashioned for us to guess. Under the circumstance of fast-developing new media, the netspeak words almost change every 3 days. Second, for those foreigner students who can’t read Chinese or write Chinese, it is not easy for them to catch these netspeak words on the internet in China. As I observed in this class, some foreigner students can’t understand those netspeak words. Maybe it is too hard to understand Chinese words for them. Maybe netspeak words from English spoken countries such as LOL (laugh out loud) will attract them more. Then maybe a little more comparison of Chinese and English netspeak words is more interesting. In my view, netspeak words is funny and closes to our daily life surrounding with internet, so this part can make the class more active.

Then during the process of studying Intercultural Communication I gradually feel that my English speaking is poor. I find this when I want to notify them to do something. At that time, my brain seems to stop thinking and I am still so nervous to speak English to express. Usually I don’t say a whole sentence first because there are just some phrases or even words appearing in my brain. Then I will think for a while and let my brain organize my words to a whole sentence. I think the reason is that I don’t keep learning English for a long time.

At the end of this course, teacher asked a question about language and culture. Language determines our culture, or language reflects our attitude. I have not thought too much in class. Then after class, I think about these two views and still can’t choose one. Or I can say I prefer the second view. Here are my reasons:

First, I think the word “determine” is describing an absolute situation. I am not sure whether there is an exception existing. According to all politic lessons I learned in my past several years, I think what can determine superstructure including culture is only economy. I have never heard that language which can also be see as a conscious superstructure determines culture.

Second, there are 4 sentences under the first view. I treat them as the explanations of the first one. They are all reasonable, but I think the fourth sentence is more like explaining the second view. It says that language shows one’s cultural background. The second view is that language reflects our attitude. And in my opinion, I think these two are connective.

Third, there are some explanations of the first view such as language is a medium of expression for human society. But I still don’t think all those can explain why language determines our culture.

As a result, I may prefer the second view.