In a global learning environment, I wonder about the issues of the subtleties of language, especially in the use of humor. I have found there are very subtle, cultural driven nuances in the "hidden" meanings of words along with phrasing and body language that give language and words meaning. I know most people "speak" or read or write English or use Google translator constantly. But often meaning is very cultural driven. Even within the same country, it is so. And it takes time and almost immersion in a different region or culture to learn the often hidden meanings or messages behind the same words.
I wonder if anyone else has thought about or dealt with the many meaning behind language.
Yes - and also the meanings in the metaphors we choose to explain ourselves and our interests. Hence all the argument about digital natives... I think I prefer digital explorers searching through unknown terrains - where we will still find occasional familiar objects and landmarks - but were dragons till lurk. We ran a class in Second Life a while back - and analysed the avatars the students chose to represent themselves -embodied metaphors if you like. Some were versions of themselves as close as they could make them - fat where they were fat, skinny where skinny - mine was a little bit younger (!) - but one woman built herself as a bee - very clumsy and grotesque but still beautiful and another put the same effort into transforming into a Klingon - thus their digital landscape was disrupted - and perhaps their educational one was also - and this gave me hope that using these technologies we can disrupt the everyday and agency is more possible - and not less. Best wishes, Sandra
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