Universal Sounds: Cross Cultural Communication | Teny Avakian | TEDxYSMU

Summary

The speaker explores cultural differences and similarities through the lens of the Bow Wow Theory, which suggests that languages evolved from mimicking animal sounds, leading to diverse interpretations. A personal anecdote about a misunderstanding in a store highlights how fear of the unknown can arise from linguistic differences. The speaker proposes a hypothetical scenario where universal sounds for emotions and questions could foster greater tolerance and understanding among cultures, potentially leading to more harmonious global communication.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The speaker has experienced various cultures and noticed both similarities and differences among them.
• 🐶 The Bow Wow theory suggests that languages might have originated from mimicking animal sounds, leading to different languages due to varied interpretations of these sounds.
• 🇨🇳 Different cultures mimic the same animal sounds differently, such as 'Wang Wang' in China and 'Huff Huff' in Armenia for a dog's bark.
• 💧 The theory extends to other sounds, not just from animals, but also from nature and human expressions, which can be perceived and mimicked differently across cultures.
• 👨‍👦 An amusing personal anecdote illustrates a communication breakdown between the speaker's father and a cashier due to cultural differences in sound interpretation.
• 😨 The story highlights how unfamiliar sounds can cause fear and misunderstanding, as they are unexpected and unknown to the listener.
• 🗣 The speaker differentiates between languages and sounds, emphasizing that while languages are diverse, the underlying sounds we hear are universal.
• 🌱 A hypothetical scenario is presented where universal sounds for emotions and actions are taught globally, potentially fostering greater tolerance and understanding.
• 🔗 The idea of a universal sound system could lead to improved cross-cultural communication and reduce fear of the unknown by creating a common auditory understanding.
• 👴 If the universal sound concept were adopted, the speaker's father might be met with tolerance instead of fear in his future interactions.
• 👏 The speech concludes with a call for a more tolerant and understanding global society through the shared understanding of universal sounds.

Q & A

What is the Bow Wow theory mentioned in the script?

The Bow Wow theory suggests that languages are derived from people mimicking animal sounds, and because different people hear these sounds differently, this has led to the development of various languages.

How do different cultures mimic the sound of a dog barking according to the script?

In the script, it is mentioned that in China, people mimic a dog's bark as 'Wang Wang', in Armenia as 'Huff Huff', and in Italy as 'Bao Bao', highlighting the cultural variations in sound mimicry.

What is the significance of the story about the speaker's father and the cashier of Asian origins?

The story illustrates the communication barrier and the fear of the unknown that can arise from cultural and linguistic differences, as the father's response 'huh' was misunderstood by the cashier.

Why did the cashier react with fear when the speaker's father responded with 'huh'?

The cashier reacted with fear because the sound 'huh' was unknown and unexpected to her, causing her to perceive the interaction as strange and potentially threatening.

What is the main idea the speaker is proposing regarding universal sounds for emotions and feelings?

The speaker is proposing the idea of agreeing on universal sounds for emotions and feelings, which could potentially lead to greater tolerance and understanding among people from different cultures.

How does the speaker suggest we could improve cross-cultural communication?

The speaker suggests that if everyone taught their children the same sounds for certain emotions or situations, it could lead to a more tolerant and understanding generation that communicates better across cultures.

What is the potential outcome if parents worldwide taught their children the same sounds for specific emotions?

The potential outcome is a new generation of people who are more tolerant and understanding towards each other, especially towards other cultures, and possibly being able to communicate using these universal sounds.

How does the speaker's father's interaction in the store differ from what it could be if universal sounds were adopted?

If universal sounds were adopted, the father's response with 'huh' would likely be met with tolerance, sympathy, and understanding instead of fear and rejection.

What is the speaker's opinion on the diversity of languages?

The speaker acknowledges that languages can be very diverse and unique, but emphasizes that despite this diversity, all humans hear the same basic sounds.

What is the role of fear in the interaction between the speaker's father and the cashier?

Fear plays a role in the interaction by causing the cashier to react negatively to the unfamiliar sound made by the speaker's father, highlighting the human tendency to fear the unknown and unexpected.

What does the speaker mean by 'sounds that my dad was making in response to her questions were very unknown to her'?

The speaker is referring to the cultural and linguistic misunderstanding where the father's response, which was intended to be a question or confusion, was perceived as strange and frightening due to the lack of shared understanding of the sound 'huh'.