Language learning for diversity and openness (Quote of the Week)

 

"Quote of the Week" is leisure reading in the assignment reminder email to my students.

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"The rhetorical and linguistic preferences that North American professors honed into me were not just a different writing style or literacy practice, but a different way of knowing. They trained me to write a transparent prose with explicit language which left no room for ambiguity and made me take sole responsibility for conveying meanings to detached readers in a self-standing text. The text was thus treated as disembodied and autonomous."

Decolonizing Academic Writing Pedagogies for Multilingual Students

21 May 2023

TESOL Quarterly.

https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3231

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Reflect on the quote above as it relates to the journey you're embarking on: writing in English. It involves learning to formulate and express thoughts in an entirely different medium from your mother tongue. Remember, writing encompasses more than merely following rules of spelling and grammar. It is a tool that compels you to structure your thoughts in a particular framework, often called "logic."

However, it's crucial to understand that "logic," in this broad sense, varies across cultures. What English speakers value as logical writing may come across as overly assertive to a Japanese audience. Conversely, a nuanced passage in Japanese, replete with care and consideration, could be misinterpreted as winding and lacking clarity by English readers. Therefore, writing in a foreign language necessitates a cognitive transformation rather than just a simple linguistic modification.

Learn to communicate effectively in English, as it can significantly expand your horizons. However, resist the notion that English writing is the universal standard. Instead, cherish the richness of cultural diversity, for it fosters tolerance and adaptability among us. Your journey of learning English should inspire openness, not narrow-mindedness.

[Written with ChatGPT]