Language and Expression

The key to a good relationship is communication. This holds true with intimate and friendly relationships and spans across all cultures throughout the world. Without even realizing, we are communicating with other people. The messages we send through our body language, clothing, facial expressions, hairstyles, and even hand gestures can create a large impact on how people view us as a person. Language is defined, according to Barbara Miller in Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World, as a form of communication that is based on a systematic set of learned symbols and signs shared among a group and passed on from generation to generation.

The problem many people encounter is their nonverbal communication. The slightest movement can trigger an offensive gesture to anyone of any culture. However, there are many people that use sign language as their main form of communicating. Sign language is simply communication through the use of certain hand movements. Although sign language is often thought of as a second-class language, it is a complex language that many people do not know. While these people that use sign language are using a form of communicating, they are also being silent.

Many aboriginal tribes still use sign language even though they also have a verbal language. The phrase “Silence is Golden” has a strong impact on cultures. These tribes are often silent when men are hunting (which isn’t that different from the American hunter) and when women are in mourning from the loss of a loved one. Silence is another class of communication. If someone is silent, they can be representing many different feelings, emotions, or moods. No one can pinpoint exactly what the origins of language are, but studies show that over the past 500 years, many forms of tribal languages became extinct due to colonization and globalization.

Like communication, every culture practices different religion or belief and behavior related to a supernatural being and force. Religion is different from magic and science, but they all share similarities in that they are all ways that people tried to explain the physical world and events in the world. Religious beliefs are practiced in groups and passed on through every generation through stories often in two forms: myth and doctrine. Myths are the stories about supernatural forces or beings and doctrines are the direct statements about religious beliefs.

The major religious practices throughout the world, but the main religions are: Buddhism, Judaism, Nonreligious, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Christianity makes up about 33% of the world’s religion. But what are the differences?

Hinduism is a born trait and they typically do not seek converters. It includes a wide set of laws of daily morality based on karma, dharma and societal norms. It was formed on diverse traditions and does not have one single founder.

Buddhism began in northern India where Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) was raised. The religion encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. Buddha was considered an enlightened teacher who shared insights to help end ignorance.



Islam is a religion based on the teachings of Muhammad, who was a prophet. Islamic religion follows one god: Allah.

Judaism is from the Hebrew Bible depicting the traditions and life of the Jewish people. This is considered to be the direct relationship God developed with the Children of Israel.

Christianity also ties into Judaism. It is the life-teachings of Jesus (the anointed one) written by the disciples. Under Christianity, there are several layers of different practiced religions. The main basis is the God gave his only son to save the sins of the Christian people, and in doing so, the son of God arose again in Heaven.

Every culture has their way of expressing their religion. People also express their feelings through art. Art is defined as the application of imagination, skill, and style to matter, movement, and sound that goes beyond what is purely practical (Miller 236). Art was around even in the beginning of time when ancients were painting or carving on rock walls to tell their story. We can learn a lot of history through artwork.

There are many forms of art such as performance arts which include: music, dance, theater, storytelling, and speechmaking. These are different ways in which a person or group of people can express their emotions and feelings. When someone is feeling down, they can write a song. Art is often easier to express then simply just saying how you feel. The main purpose of art is to show someone how you are feeling or make that person feel the same. This is a chance for people to look back on a time in their life and relate to the person expressing the emotion.

People also use architecture and decorative arts to express things as social class rank, gender, and age. In everything we see there was some form of art created. We can see this is roads, buildings, maps, and any other structure. Interior design is also another form of expression art. It takes certain talent and skill to decorate a house or party.

In art, we can see and feel deep connections with the artist. Anything can be turned into art such as movement in a waterfall or rays of the sun. Even petals of radiant flowers can provide inspiration for great art. Even a sports game is an art form to the players, coaches, and viewers. Ever culture has their own way of expressing their view of what they think is considered “art”.