Sometimes we may find that there is no word for something in a language, a "lexical gap" appears. Why do you think this happens?
This can happen when the word or concept is not from the native language itself, but created by two languages as explained by Tatiana, who in her experience as a teacher came across one of those untranslatable words that is adopted by that language, although she tries to translate it as many times as necessary, its translation is not from the native language.

By: Jhonnathan Steven Álvarez

Can you think of "untranslatable concepts" you've come across when trying to move between one language and another?  Of course, I have come across these cases on my trip to the United States, such as the word “awe” which could be translated as astonishment or the word “facepalm” would literally translate to cover face, but when I went to look for its translation I did not find it and in At that time I had problems with these words.

Sometimes we can find that there is no word for something in a language, a "lexical gap" appears. Why do you think this happens? I believe that this depends on the region and the culture in which each language is developed, many areas and languages ​​use few words for many actions or they simply do not have that word because in their daily lives their social and economic activities do not need them.
By Edisson Mauricio Rodríguez

Can you think of ‘untranslatable concepts’ you have come across when trying to move between one language and another?

Every language has words that are actually very difficult or impossible to translate into another language. It is complex to find a meaning because they are typical words of the region that are used depending on their customs or cultures. For example: Bromance, tartle, spam. This implies that many times these words are adapted to other languages ​​without the need to find a literal translation; then it can be said that these words pass from one language to another just as they are, where people understand their meaning but say it in the same original language that created it.

This happens because they are words that are invented in order to express something colloquial about the region, or to define something new that happens and that does not have an official word to define it. They are words that are created and included in language according to need, it is said that times change, life and customs are always in constant evolution, likewise language must transform, it must adapt to new times of people
By Daniela Patiño Álvarez

Was this a difficulty in communicating concepts across different languages, or in the same language?
Yes, between native speakers maybe not, but in my case yes. Sometimes, was necessary to clarify some concepts with the interlocutor and give more details about some ideas.

How did you resolve this? What changed, and for whom?
My friend is a native speaker, he comprehended most American words, the problem was mine. The digital translator was very useful to clarify concepts

How is the ‘type-token relationship’ useful in helping us to communicate with each other?
The type-token relationship is useful to associate vocables in English and its usage in real-life speaking. The above permits significant learning of vast vocabulary and the identification of its usage in different places and cultures.

By Sergio Andrés Ayala

What experiences have you had of mismatches between types and tokens, in which another person's understanding of a concept has not aligned with yours?

The experiences I have had were in the María Montessori Normal School, Bogotá D.C., the teacher who taught us English was a Canadian, her way of teaching, her expressions and her vocabulary was very different from the other teachers I have passed through during my student history, because I said a word in English that I always thought was pronounced that way and she corrected me the way it was pronounced.

For me, yes, because I still don't get along very well in this language, that's why I have a lot of difficulty in a conversation with a native speaker.

Changing my way of thinking that everything has to do with the same word, it was very useful for me because I was very wrong and confused, listening to a native like the teacher, resolved many doubts and concerns I had.

How useful is the "type-token relationship" to help us communicate with each other?

The type-symbol relationship is useful for associating the words in the language and their use in everyday life, with a broad and meaningful learning.

By: Jhonnathan Steven Álvarez

What experiences have you had of type-token mismatches, where someone else's understanding of a concept hasn't aligned with your own? Several many natives of other countries, mostly coastal countries have a dialect and accent that when they speak English it is very difficult to understand them and we end up not understanding each other and confused.
Was this a difficulty in communicating concepts across different languages, or in the same language? Of course, if the difference in cultures and accents in our countries prevented me from communicating with others, which made it very frustrating, it was time to communicate with actions or signs to be able to understand each other.
How did you solve this? What changed, and for whom? Practicing my pronunciation and what helped me the most was learning phonemes of the English language since with native or foreign speakers the difference in pronunciation was very noticeable and this helped me a lot, it was a total change in my speaking
▪ How is the ‘type-token relationship’ useful in helping us to communicate with each other? It is a useful measure since children with difficulties in their vocabulary will be able to count the number of words in the text, so Type is just a vocabulary element and token is an instance of that type in a running text
By Edisson Mauricio Rodríguez Taborda

What experiences have you had of type-token mismatches, where someone else’s understanding of a concept hasn’t aligned with your own?

 

I had an experience with a nephew of a friend of mine, the boy wanted to learn Spanish and I wanted to learn English, the two of us had very few basics and we began to speak but in many words we had to make a short explanation to make ourselves understood or we used the translator of the cell phone to help us, it was funny. In one of those few conversations, my friend arrived and began to annoy him with words in Spanish about how he liked women, but since he did not understand, he looked at us confused and laughed embarrassed, then we explained to him what these words referred to in his language, he said he wanted to get to know our country and its linguistic expressions. In another conversation he told me about his goals for the future, what he wanted to study and what he wanted to dedicate himself to in life, the same thing happened to us because he had to explain the context of his words well to me.

 

 

It was a bit difficult because between the two of us we tried to explain key words in his language so that he would understand why we laughed at the questions about women. Sometimes it is difficult to explain well the context of the words that are used in our environment that are common to us.

 

 

I solved it by clarifying unknown words with him, giving him examples, looking for words so that he could be guided and could understand what we were talking about and not feel excluded from the conversation.

 

 

This type of relationship is quite useful for communication and to identify a series of words that are connected to each other due to their similarity or link between meanings, that although they are similar words, they still retain their characteristics that differentiate them and learn to identify and interpret them. It is important when communicating.
By Daniela Patiño Álvarez

As the document explains, the association of words and their meaning. There is no built-in or intrinsic link between the sounds we produce when saying words and the concepts they refer to in the world, in this case, in English and Spanish that as Sergio indicates it is the two languages ​​that I also know we can talk about the verb "ver", which depending on the context, we could use, Watch or see, but for Spanish it only consists of three letters v-e-r, and if we want to talk about observing we use the verb as such. Another example, can be the verb “decir”, which depending on its context in English we could use talk, say, tell. If we were to talk about opposite cases, we could talk about a verb that in English complies with its identical semantics in three verb tenses: past, present and participle "cut" that verb is written the same in all three tenses, although phonetically there could be a small variation, is Spanish it would be corta, cortó, cortado, it is written differently.

Saussure argued that when we communicate, we use linguistic signs. The two parts of
it are the signifier and the signified, they differ because the signifier is
the sound of the concept, while the signified is the encoding or the
transmission that our mind gives to the concept.

by Tatiana López

Thinking about the idea of semantic space, can you think of similar examples of how the space is divided differently across languages that you know?

I can do comparisons between English and Spanish because those are the languages that I know. An example could be in the word "dejar"; in Spanish, that word is used to permit anything to anyone and it refers to "leave". For example: "Su padre no la DEJA ir a la feria" (Her father does not permit she goes to the fair) and "él DEJA su novia si ella no le dice la verdad" (he leaves his girlfriend if she does not tell him the truth). In these examples, we can see that in English we use two different verbs, and in Spanish is possible the same verb in different contexts.
Another example is the verb "Tomar" in Spanish. Although both English and Spanish exit the two verbs "Take and drink" (tomar and beber", the first one is used in Spanish for both actions while in English is more strict the use of each one. For example: "Ella toma agua en la mañana" (She drinks water in the morning) Although is better with the verb "beber" (to drink), in Spanish is possible the use of "tomar". In the sentences: "Ella toma nota en clase" (She takes notes in class), is used the same verb in Spanish, but in English is necessary the usage of each verb (take and drink) for each context.

According to Saussure, what are the two parts of a sign? How do they differ?

The two parts of a sign are: Signifier and signified which cannot be separated. The first one refers to the symbol, the variety of sounds to represent that word; and the second one refers to the concept that, in general, we have in our brains of it.

By Sergio Andrés Ayala

Thinking about the idea of semantic space, can you think of similar examples of how the space is divided differently across languages that you know?
A word that would encompass these semantic spaces and that occurs to me at the moment is; understand since this word compiles several, such as understand, realize, grasp. And as significant examples in sentences it would be used: he understood the task, he understood the work, that with the word understand one could encompass all these words.
According to Saussure, what are the two parts of a sign? How do they differ?
Las dos partes del signo son: signifiant, significante(símbolo) signifié, significado (concepto). Para el simbolo(significante) Se trata de un óvalo horizontal dividido en dos partes por una línea de puntos horizontal. En la mitad superior está la palabra "Significante" y en la mitad inferior la palabra "Significado". A cada lado del óvalo hay una flecha vertical. La flecha de la izquierda apunta hacia abajo y la de la derecha hacia arriba. Las dos flechas del diagrama muestran que estos dos aspectos de un signo (el significante y el significado) no pueden separarse, asi se diferencian.
By Edisson Mauricio Rodríguez

Thinking about the idea of semantic space, can you think of similar examples of how the space is divided differently across languages that you know?

In this idea of ​​semantic space I can think of these examples of how many words and meanings are detached from one idea: rain, snow, hail , twister, drizzle.

According to Saussure, the two parts of the signs are: the signifier (signifier) ​​is the set of sounds or words that are used to refer to that something, and the (meaning) is the concept or totality of the object that is being mentioned. He said that these two could not be separated because between them there was a link that connected them, on the one hand there was the mental object that people imagined and on the other the sounds they used to name or refer to it and these are closely related to each other with the other, it is in this way that it makes sense.
By Daniela Patiño Álvarez 

 

Language dramatically shapes the way we think, we can say that we know a word, but we do not know its context, we must see the society in which we are going to use this word because it could bring a message within itself that is not the what is expected

 

 

For a word there can be different ways of writing or interpreting it, an argument in favor is that when we want to convey a message, we could use many synonyms for a word, but it brings with it an argument against and that is that by not knowing the society or the culture that we are targeting, we could be using the word in an inappropriate way and we would be giving the wrong message.

 

What is your viewpoint?  I think that the form of language changes the message or its intention, if we do not know the context in which we are going to handle it, we must know culture, society, and history, among other things, to transmit the message correctly, even if a word carries the same meaning.
By Tatiana López López

How much does language shape the way we think?
Language really shapes the way we think, an example provided by Muñoz (2021), compares Hopi language with a modern European language, and each one has different concepts of time, conceptions differ from one to another language; in other words, they understand time in a different way.  In summary, our words have an influence in the way that we understand the world that surrounds us. 

What do you think might be the arguments for and against this?
The arguments for has proofs to demonstrate that languages shape the way we think through comparison of languages; arguments against, consider that the differences of languages respond to cultural aspects and fixed words that have different senses depending of the context. 

What is your viewpoint?
I believe that each language is a world and each community has a different conception of emotions and feelings; that is the difference in shaping the thought of each person.  Human thoughts could be the same, the difference is that each language has its way to express them. 
By Sergio Andrés Ayala

How much does language shape the way we think?
Studies on the effect of language on our way of thinking have shown that those who speak a different language think differently. What's more, language not only conditions the way we see the world, but also the way we be have.
What do you think might be the arguments for and against this?
The arguments in favor have evidence to demonstrate that the importance of language is undeniable. Language is the basis of human communication, it allows us to express ourselves and understand others; and, depending on how we use it, we will build and interpret the world differently. The arguments against are the differences in languages according to the cultural aspects of each region, fixed words that have different meanings depending on the context.
What is your viewpoint?
In my point of view I can say that language does not shape our way of thinking, but rather it shapes the context or expression that each person has regarding how they see the world and the different cultures that exist today.
By Jhonnathan Stiven Álvarez

How much does language shape the way we think?

We see that the environment in which we grow up and the language used greatly influences the way we think, how we behave, how we treat other people or how we perceive the world. Everything is limited to the use and custom that is promulgated through that language.

This occurs because on many occasions the language is adapted to the customs, cultures and way of life of the people and within that linguistic space there is no room for other interpretations or meanings. It is something that is linked to the way in which communities are related and how they see the world from their perspective of life.

I personally find it interesting, each person or place is a different world, this makes it much more emotional and significant to learn about other languages ​​and cultures, to learn without detracting from or wanting to change customs.
By Daniela Patiño Álvarez

Explain what they mean and why you find them useful.
These are colloquial words from the Paisa region. The word parce can be translated as friend. The word chevere or vacano translates as; something good, striking, satisfying. And the word camel translates; worked.
By Edisson Mauricio Rodríguez

¿Do you have words from your own language that you think may be unique to your social group and culture?
Of course if the words are boa, parcero, embalado, bizcocho, pachulí, atembao, caripelao, cansón, etc.

 

Explain what they mean and why you find them useful.
They are colloquial words from the coffee region, boa and parcero can be translated to amigo/a, embalado to indicate when a person is taking the responsibility of something seriously, bizcocho said term denotes when another individual is very handsome and physically sympathetic. Locals may comment sentences such as "that man is a biscuit", patchouli is a way of indicating when a person has too strong a smell, this is usually very unpleasant and ugly. It is also thought of when a perfume with the same characteristics is used, atembao is used by area residents to describe an individual who is slow. The action can be in any area of life, caripelao is someone who through his actions shows how cynical he is. Another pejorative like this is carepalo and symbolizes the same, cansón is ideal to imply that a human being is very annoying with a specific matter. Who is tiresome is because he bothers with a lot of intensity.
By Jhonnathan Stiven Álvarez

Do you have words from your own language that you think may be unique to your social grouping and its culture?
Parva, charro, chepero.

Explain what they mean, and why you find them useful.
Yes. For example, we use the word "parva" to refer to the variety of bread and cookies that we can find in a bakery. Also, "charro" is a colloquial word to mention a funny thing or event, because, in Spanish, the generic word is "gracioso". Finally, "chepero" is a word used only in my region to refer to a person that got lucky.
By Sergio Andrés Ayala Echeverri