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APHG/Keller

Unit 3 Culture & Language

“Dathon & Picard at El’A’Drel”

The Importance of Language and Communication

Directions:

  • Read over the definitions and be comfortable with understanding them before watching the video
  • Use the following questions to think about what you see in the video
  • Jot down answers to the questions as you watch.
  • After watching the video, reflect on what you have seen, and then formulate your answers to the questions more completely.

Definitions of related terms:

  • Standard language – a language substantially uniform with respect to spelling, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary and representing the approved community norm of the tongue.
  • Dialect – a language variant marked by vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation differences from other variants of the same common language. When those variations are spatial or regional, they are called geographic dialects; when they are indicative of socioeconomic or educational levels, they are called social dialects. For example, cockney which is the variation of the English language which is found in certain neighborhood of London. “My Fair Lady.”
  • Pidgin – An auxiliary language derived, with reduced vocabulary and simplified structure, from other languages. Not a native tongue, it is used for limited communication between people with different languages, for purposes such as commerce, administration or work supervision. For example, Lingala, spoken by the 270 different ethnic groups of the Congo, to facilitate the recruitment of soldiers.
  • Creole (ization) – A language developed from a pidgin to become the native tongue of a society. For example, Swahili.
  • Lingua Franca – Any of various auxiliary languages used as common tongues among people of an area where several languages are spoken; literally, “Frankish language.” For example, a language of trade and travel.
  • Official language - A governmentally designated language of instruction, of government, of the courts, and other official public and private communication.

*Please make note that the questions will be used to guide discussion after viewing the video.

  1. What is the immediate problem facing the Enterprise personnel ad the Tamarians?
  1. What happens to provoke the Enterprise?
  1. How does the staff on the Enterprise deal with the provocation? Are they successful? Why/Why not?
  1. How does Picard deal with the provocation? Is he successful? Why/Why not?
  1. What changes do Dathon and Picard experience? How does this come about?
  1. Why is the story of Gilgamesh important at the end of the film?
  1. What implications do the events that occurred on El’A’Drel have for the Tamarians and the Federation to which the Enterprise personnel belong?
  1. What does this video have to do with language and culture? In discussing this topic, be sure to use the vocabulary on language referred to in the text reading and reviewed during class.
  1. What other branches of Human Geography might this film also be used to discuss? Why?

Questions associated with but outside the specific video:

  1. What impact has the Internet had on communication? What is or are the lingua francas used on the Internet? How does this affect other languages? What implications does this have for cultural identities in the future?
  1. How have periods of colonization throughout history affected languages both positively and negatively?
  1. Thinking about the definition of an “official language”, along with the diversity inherent in American society, do you think English should become the official language of the U.S.? By the way, English, as of March 2001, became the lingua franca of the U.N.!