Friday, August 21, 2009

Blog 1: A Tale of (limited) Linguistics

Jon Cuccia

English 1101

Dr. Jennifer A. Hughes

21 August 2009


My linguistic history is somewhat limited, but all the same, it continues to broaden with each passing day. I can confidently say that English is my only fluent language, and that I have had relatively little exposure to other languages. I probably had never even heard another language be spoken until I was nearly in high school. Growing up in Blairsville has that drawback, although the community seems to be diversifying at a rapid pace now.


My only real experience with a language other then English was during my first two years of high school, when I took the only foreign language offered: Spanish. I took to the language quite quickly and even managed to sound authentic in doing so. It wasn’t long into the course before I became very interested in the language and the associated culture. Through the small class, I gained a better understanding of not only the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking culture, but even of the English language. Noticing the similarities between the two really emphasized their common Latin base. Unfortunately, the next year when I returned for the Spanish II course, the normal teacher was on maternity leave. My knowledge and familiarity of the Spanish language has only decreased since my first year of high school, tragic as it may be.


Finally, the only other mildly interesting I can say about my linguistic history is concerning my family. As I first read over the prompt, I dismissed my family’s part, as they all speak English. Upon further consideration however, I realized that growing up with the family I have had influenced me in a unique way. My two younger siblings have struggled with mental disabilities all their lives. Their methods of communication are not always clear, especially when verbal, and living with them for 14 years has really made me better at interpreting language in different ways.


Conclusively, my linguistic history has been straightforward, but enjoyable. I earnestly hope that throughout my college experience, it can continue to grow.

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