On Cross Cultural Communications and aftermath

When I decided to dry up my entire General Account of 798 points to bid for a module titled Cross Cultural Communications and Discourse, I was expecting a fun class where examples of miscommunication would sprout out constantly cracking the whole class up for 3 delightful hours. Perhaps slapstick like the British sitcom - Mind Your Language.

Unfortunately, after the first lesson, I was brought back to reality that perhaps I shouldn't expect too much of an academical institution. It is after all projects/ reports/ research/ literature reviews/ exams etc that dominates the culture, not fun and laughter. What was I thinking!?*snorts*

With lesser expectations, I embarked lethargically onto my second class where the content was speech act. The lecturer started off with blah blah blah... I was half asleep with my eyes opened. BUT when he came to the examples where speech is so powerful, it becomes an action, I was intrigued.

"YOU'RE FIRE!"

"I hereby pronounce you man and wife."

Oh yeah... I thought to myself. Words are often cheap, but power lies in the person who can say it into action. How I wished I could declare a coffee break for the class with words, alas that I can't because the power is not vested in me. So words can be powerful when the speaker has due influence. A parent can promise a child with nothingness, a teacher can threaten a dislikable student with bad grades, the most popular girl in class can choose NOT to invite you to her birthday bash. And there is nothing you can do about it.

It awes me... the power of speech act.

That perhaps was the most valuable thing that I learnt for that 3 hours we were in class. Thereafter was the example of compliments and responces to it but the educational impact on me was much much lesser than performative utterances.

It became drone drone drone once again, but hmm... I left the class thinking about the power of speech I have. Muahahahaa! Can't wait for the next lesson for a new perspective on communications...