What does it mean to know a language? by LeeAnne Godfrey https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju Share your thoughts to the three posts below. For Item 1, click the + and add your thoughts. For Item 2, add your thoughts as a comment. For Item 3, add your thoughts as a comment. (ESL 8130 F19) en-us 2017-05-03 14:40:35 UTC 2025-04-11 16:04:50 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Lightdecrease.png You are out for Dim Sum at a Chinese restaurant and a cart with the following items comes by. Write out the words you would *say* to order the food item you would like to try. berg1207 https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/345815839 (This could be a restaurant in the US with English speaking waiters.  In addition to any gestures, what words would you use to tell the waiter which item would like to order?)]]> 2019-03-27 17:25:06 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/345815839 Compliments berg1207 https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/345891394 What might be your response to a colleague who says the following to you:
You did an excellent job yesterday! I really enjoyed your presentation.]]> 2019-03-27 20:20:14 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/345891394 Knowing a language could be understood in different ways. In my opinion (pre-reading!) I would consider knowing a language to be competently understanding/ comprehending the language (receptive language), and also expressive competence- being able to speak the language fluently. However, I am not sure of the level, or % of a native speaker, or what measures would be used to determine if one “knew” the language... https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405196322 2019-10-31 19:23:43 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405196322 https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405245053 Some days I know what it is to "know a language." For me it means that I'm able to converse naturally with students/colleagues, perhaps joke, confidently. I understand what we're discussing and am confident in sharing my opinion in the second language. But, I also find it 'knowing a language' to be able to read and write the language; for me, I don't read and write regularly in my second language, so I find it challenging to do those things fluently or in a way that I feel like I know the language. I also think knowing a language includes phrases or slang that changes from country to country, so sometimes I'm having a conversation with a Spanish-speaker and they use a phrase or slang that I can't figure out, and I'm reminded that I don't know the language as fully or deeply as I'd like to. Those phrases and turns of a language are, for me, the heart of language, and I think they do affect how well we 'know' a language. ]]> 2019-10-31 22:20:37 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405245053 Knowing A Language https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405659772 in my opinion, knowing a language means you are able to use a language appropriately to communicate in the social context. You are not only able to speak it, listen to it, write it and reading it, but you are also able to know the cultural context behind the language and can use it appropriately. ]]> 2019-11-01 23:06:57 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405659772 At what point do you know a language? https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405666975 I've heard a number of people tell me that "once you can think in another language" or "once you dream in another language" thats when you know you've made it. I personally have never experienced either of these things, though the idea and concept it quite interesting to me. It seems like for many, the idea of knowing a language is knowing it well enough that you can use it even on a subconscious level, where you are not constantly having to switch back and forth and try and translate between your native language and the new language. Personally, I've only dabbled in learning languages, so I can't really say for sure what it means to fully know a language. That being said, from a teacher side of thing, I think learners are always striving to reach a point in which they feel like they fully know a language. I think to some extent having a firm grasp on the grammar and the rules of the language to the point where you can construct and make your own sentences within the language shows that you know the language to some extent.]]> 2019-11-02 00:03:41 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405666975 At what point do you know a language? https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405679733 I consider that you know a language when you are able to function successful in both social and academic settings. A person should be able to interact at a party, participate in class, and complete school work in the language. ]]> 2019-11-02 01:38:22 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405679733 In my opinion, knowing a language is the ability to use it in different modality, such as speaking and writing, and also to understand it in different context, such as reading and listening. Besides, the ability to interpret the language in the context of culture is also important. https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405680443 2019-11-02 01:43:57 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405680443 I guess that knowing a language stands as the ability to recognize and produce the language in different contexts. Thinking about my own language learning sometimes I feel like I can recognize it, however, I don't think my ability to produce it is very strong. areget01 https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405919427 2019-11-03 16:31:12 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/405919427 To know a language means you have the ability to express and communicate your thoughts and feelings. This could be as simple as a conversation between peers, purchasing an item, writing a paper, emailing a coworker, etc. Of course we are teaching students academic language but there is also social language which is just as important. I suppose whether you can empathize and understand a song via listening, read a memoir, write a tweet about your day or create a video where you articulate your ideas on a great recipe. Either way, these many modes of language offer us the opportunity to engage with language. https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406010968 2019-11-04 00:48:27 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406010968 2 Ways mdelorenzo01 https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406145136 Traditionally, I would say that knowing a language meant knowing the "rules", but as with the grammar translation method it wasn't necessarily practical or even assumed you'd ever really speak the language. 
On the other hand, we have practical use of a language. You might not have prescriptive mastery of a language, but you have acquired functional real world use. That is, you can walk into a restaurant and order food, introduce yourself, or chat about your favorite movie and people will be able to understand you. You can also modify or adapt your language based on different situations and things like that. ]]> 2019-11-04 10:39:24 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406145136 Hard to Answer myang72 https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406588595 This is a tough question to answer because then the question becomes, what does it mean to "know"? I would say that I "know" three languages. However, I know them to varying degrees. Despite being an English language learner growing up, I would say that I know English best out of the three that I do know. I say this because I think, speak, read in this language very well. Most of how I communicate is in English. It has pretty much become my first language. I "know" my native language but to a lesser degree than my second language (English). I can communicate in my L1 but I do not know all of the vocabulary and all the "rules" that govern the language. Oftentimes, I make mistakes when speaking the language and get corrected by my parents. I am very good with writing in my L1 but that is because I get the chance to edit what I say and fix things. I also say that I "know" French because I studied it for years in school. It was also my minor in college. However, I know French to an even smaller degree than the other two languages. I can read and write French, and I know the "rules" for reading and writing, but to speak it fluently would be a huge struggle. So... what does it mean to know a language? I guess to truly "know" a language, I would say that I would have to feel comfortable using it. I would have to feel comfortable with my knowledge of the language and knowledge of how to use it. ]]> 2019-11-04 23:33:20 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406588595 Knowing a language is... https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406635782 being able to communicate with other people who speak or know the same language and being able to understand one another. Knowing a language is your gateway to understanding and being understood. When you know a language, you can communicate with yourself even, because you have a clear way to express your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Knowing a language keeps us from being]]> 2019-11-05 02:14:30 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406635782 Depends on the situation https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406754548 This is really hard for me to say. I think my standard of knowing a language would be being able to articulate my thoughts and feelings clearly in the language I am trying to speak. However, I am unable to do that properly in my L2, so I feel like I don't know the language well enough "I know a little bit." However, if my family heard me speak my L2 they would absolutely think and say that I know the language. I think it depends on personal beliefs as well as situational. This is tough to answer!]]> 2019-11-05 10:31:53 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/7wjeo80camju/wish/406754548