Expression

I write on here as I find it much easier to express myself clearly in written words than in speech. I have much more experience for we have all written many papers that have been graded and feedback given over the years as to how to improve. We don’t tend to get this kind of feedback on speech. We are no longer taught how to speak or what to say. A public speaking class or debate society may assist but the actual learning of a language only occurs in foreign language classes. Even then very little spoken communication happens. It is again focused on text so we have the great disparity between how we write and how we talk.

This can be shown in great contrast in the way that they wrote and spoke in Greece in the 1960s. They were completely different languages and if you come over across texts or movies from that era, you will notice how formal they are. The language was yet to be anglicised.

It’s odd that the language that gave us so many words is now reversing itself and adopting English words for many items. If there shorter or easier to say than the Greek originals then that is what they will say. Wouldn’t you rather say neo for new rather than kainourgios? καινούργιος.

This difference in expression affects us all as we all now getting quite familiar with hand gestures that are used by Italians but the Greeks do this too. It is common on the mainland but not so much in the Ionian Islands. This means more words are necessary to express an idea but it comes across clearer than if you just gesticulate as that is often very culturally specific. Words however can be incredibly inclusive and if you don’t know the meaning you can’t communicate as easily. So body language is a big part of language learning and expression of ones wants and needs. Again this is an area I’m not particularly great at but in time I hope to get better.

Is there an area of expression that you have struggled with or perhaps even there is one you excel at? Drop a comment below if your willing to help others in there quest to be the very best version of themselves.

Yours faithfully

Angela