Evelina Badzuh

February 15, 2017

Language and Literacy Project

Language is a powerful thing. I grew up in a home where two languages were constantly

intertwined. My parents being immigrants from Russia and me growing up in the United States

proved to be a clash of cultures and, just as importantly, one of language. There was always this

thing called Russianglish in my home, our way of speaking that involved spontaneous

switching between the two languages based on what was easier to say, or whatever came more

naturally in the moment. Being bilingual influences so much more than just speech, however. As

I am learning a third language in school now, my eyes are constantly being opened to the

importance of knowing more than one language. I believe that everyone should try to learn a

language other than just the one they speak at home. This ability to speak and immerse oneself

into another language and culture can do so much for a person. Being bilingual has helped me

understand ideas in a deeper way, appreciate the values that my own culture has instilled in me,

and have an open perspective to people around me. It can do the same for anyone willing to take

on the adventurous and advantageous challenge.

Bilingual speaking and thinking has deepened my ability to understand words and

phrases. There have been countless times when Ive been talking to my parents and they have

asked me to explain a certain English word to them in Russian. This can be difficult to do, so we

often take time to look up definitions and synonyms to explain words back and forth to each
other, whether Im explaining an English word or theyre explaining a Russian one. This allows

us to develop a more meaningful understanding of language. We become exposed to the contexts

in which certain words are used and we kind of get a three-dimensional understanding of the

word. Since we can think about what a word means in two different languages, it can help us

grasp more meaning behind certain literature. An example of this would be the way my parents

read the Bible. I have seen them take turns reading both English and Russian translations of it,

one right after the other. This bilingual reading of the same text allows them to, like I said, gain a

deeper understanding. One language might limit the translation of a text or the words in a phrase

while the other one expands on something. One language might exaggerate something that, in

reality, is very simple. One translation might cause confusion while the other one makes

everything clear. This ability to think in two different languages, two different dimensions so to

speak, has helped me interpret and understand literature, understand the meanings behind

specific words, and even learn a third language. Being able to relate new Spanish words Im

learning to similar Russian or English ones makes learning the language even easier. With so

many cognitive benefits to being bilingual, everyone should invest the time to learn at least a

second language. The mind could always benefit from deeper understanding.

Knowing two different languages has allowed me to value the way each culture has

affected me. With Russian immigrants as parents, it was always an interesting dynamic of

identity. At school, I spoke English with American children all around me. At home, I spoke

Russian and lived immersed in my parents culture. This dance between two different languages

and cultures continued throughout my early life and even now. My identity and ways of being

are now a mixture of the two; therefore, I am not entirely Russian and not entirely American. I

am somewhere in between. Growing up my mom always told me that my culture as a Russian-

American was something unique and all its own. I did not understand that until very recently

when I met several other people from my own distinct culture and realized how much our values

and perspectives lined up. There are certain values I recognize in myself that have been

influenced by the Russian culture I grew up in. A few of those would be a strictness and

professionalism whenever in academic or occupational scenarios, a very strong work ethic, a

family-oriented focus on life, fairly traditional goals for the future, and a general disinterest in

small talk. Certain American values I see in myself, however, would include an independent and

individualistic mindset, a very optimistic personality, and a strong desire to achieve my goals and

ambitions. Both cultures have instilled in me values that Im proud of, and I can say that I

wouldnt be who I am today without both cultures and languages constantly influencing me. In

general, this appreciation for the values that ones culture brings comes only from exposure to

other cultures and being able to compare the good and the bad. Learning a second language can

give someone exposure to new values and lifestyles that could help them grow as a person. This

multi-cultural experience allows for more freedom to choose what values or traditions one wants

to adopt into their own life. I believe this evaluation of values and beliefs and where they come

from is vital to constantly changing for the better. This here is yet another reason to learn a

second language.

If I had grown up exposed to just one culture, I would think that my one particular culture

was the only right one. I wouldnt be able to appreciate the differences that other cultures offer. I

heard recently that culture is never about right or wrong, its all just different. I agree with this

statement wholeheartedly. If someone would tell me that being American is better than being

Russian or vice versa, I would have to argue that I cant choose one over the other since both

have influenced me in the biggest way. Being able to speak two languages has allowed me to be
open-minded and accepting of other cultures and ways of life. In fact, I tend to connect with

other bilingual people a lot easier since we live in a world of mixed cultures. When speaking to

someone with a family background from another country, I find that our home lives are similar in

the fact that they are simply non-American. I can relate to immigrants and children of

immigrants on a personal level since this has been my own familys experience in the last 20

years. We can talk about what it was like to have strict parents, to have to translate to them if

they didnt understand something in English, to constantly try to be and do our best because our

parents did so when they gave up so much to give us a better life. This open-mindedness and

interest in learning about other peoples experiences is directly influenced by my ability to relate

to them. How can people learn about other cultures if they live in a bubble of their own kind of

people? To become accepting of others, we must constantly expose ourselves, often intentionally,

to people that may be different from us. The best way to do this is to learn a new language since

language carries the tradition, values, and history of a culture. The ability to speak to people in

their home language allows you to step into their world and understand where they are coming

from. Every time I speak to someone in Russian or even Spanish, I instantly feel more connected

to them. Ive had several experiences with this in my job as a cashier. Ive talked to Russian

people before in our home language, and I quickly feel comfortable with them. Its almost as if

we arent strangers anymore but more like family. This sharing of language with someone not

only brings commonality but also an opportunity to be open-minded and establish a connection.

As English is becoming more prevalent in other countries, we must be careful not to

allow that to keep us from learning any of the other thousands of languages around the world.

Just because others are learning our English language doesnt mean we shouldnt learn their

languages and appreciate their cultures as well. Language is a lot more powerful than we seem to
think it is. Being bilingual affects everything from speech, to the understanding of words, to the

appreciation of values that our own culture offers, and to being open-minded towards other

cultures. It isnt always easy to learn another language, but when considering the benefits, they

far outweigh the work required. I would like to encourage people to evaluate for themselves

whether these stated effects of a bilingual and bicultural mind are valuable. I would argue that

they are not only valuable, but also necessary to become a more intelligent and culturally aware

person. All it takes is a decision to pick up a language resource and learn. The mastery of another

language will change the course of ones mind and perspective forever.
 Writers Reflection

1. What do you think is the most successful part of your paper/project? Why?

I think the most successful part of this paper is the third paragraph in which I discuss the

values that both of my cultures have instilled in me. I think it provides good examples of

which values specifically have come from which culture. This helps establish a further

distinction between the Russian and American culture but at the same time highlights

good things in both. I think that the point I make in this paragraph, about how being

bilingual can help you recognize the values that your culture instills in you, is unique and

eye-opening. I enjoyed writing this part.

2. What are you proud of in this paper/project? Why?

I am proud of the argument that I finally decided on. This was very difficult for me since

I didnt even know who my audience was at first. Being able to stick to my argument

throughout the paper, especially one that I really believe in, was a good feeling.

3. What part of your paper/project would you like to work on more if you had the time?

Why?
 If I had more time, I would like to work more on my conclusion. Im not sure how much

time would be needed, but I really want to close out strong and reiterate everything I

mentioned. I believe that I did that, but with more time and several more attempts I could

probably make a better conclusion.

4. What do you want your reader to notice or comment on specifically?

I would like to know if my argument is argued well. It was hard for me to figure out my

audience and argument, so I would like to know if my work does the job of getting my

point across in a clear way.