Language, what a complex beast. I can try to bend it to my will, to make it dance, sing, or fly. I can attempt to convey what happened today, yesterday, or what will occur in the future. Do I ever succeed? I suppose that is a question for the reader. The purpose of language is communication, communication of concepts (knowledge/beliefs), justifications, emotions, questions, or information. Therefore the accuracy of spoken/written words is inextricable tried to the reception of those spoken/written words. Let me explain.

I am currently tutoring an Iranian woman. She speaks Persian, I speak English. Communicating with someone who is in the process of learning the language you speak natively is challenging. We work together to understand the complex phenomenon of organic chemistry through the lens of qualitative molecular orbital theory. We use English when communicating; we use English in class, and our textbook is in English. I cannot imagine learning in another language.

I enjoy interacting with people who come from different cultures. When I first met her, she extended her hand to greet me, her palm facing down with her finger’s curved slightly towards her. It felt like I was greeting royalty. She must have noticed my surprise when she commented on it at our next session, while discussing cultural differences. I said it was “classy.” We then spent 5 minutes reaching a consensus on what classy means.

Attempting to understand what the other person is trying to convey, how they have conceptualized words, and how that aligns with your understanding of those words presents frequent obstacles. Furthermore, our reaction to those misalignments determines if we gain some understanding or go deeper into the rabbit hole. By reaction, I mean whether or not we understand, whether or not we can make the connection using context, body language, or tone, whether we can continue the conversation with the belief we are on the same page. Frequently it feels like I say something, then she says something, and then I say no. It feels corrective. This corrective reaction to any communicative misalignment seems antithetical to purpose of education as described by Frerie. However, it seems necessary to gain common ground, essential to the purpose of communication. If you experience a communication breakdown, isn’t only natural to state what you believe is right and wrong, allowing the conversation to continue?