Shana Okayama
I argue that there is a strong relationship between personal experience and knowledge.
Knowledge is the gathering of information through theoretical explanation and is implemented in our daily life. Sailing is an example of how my personal experience is strongly intertwined with my practical knowledge of physics. Thus I have gained a high level of expertise which has been demonstrated through my participation in the Japan National Championships. Without this knowledge, sailing can be seen as dangerous. Thus, personal experience , combined with theoretical knowledge can lead to the development of expertise in a field.
To learn to sail, you must first take theory classes that teach hypothetical circumstances including various winds, currents, and waves, as well as how to react in various conditions to achieve optimum speed. Sensory knowledge Our five senses allow me to personally perceive the shift in the wind, whether it’s the sound of flapping sails or the angle at which the wind hits my face, and my five senses are unquestionably important in human experience. Sensory knowledge can only be briefly conveyed in a theory lesson because you must physically experience it and train your brain to react to even the tiniest wind shift across your face or the flapping of your sail in order to truly comprehend it. This could not be taught empirically hence, empirical evidence and sensory evidence work hand in hand to be an expert in an area of knowledge.
Importantly, in order to be an expert in my field, you must first understand the physics underpinning the sail’s function before moving on to any theory classes. Bernoulli’s concept aids my understanding of how sails work and how varied wind conditions affect how I set up my ropes for optimal performance. Bernoulli’s principle describes how one side of the sail has more pressure and speed with a shorter distance than the other, and how the various pressures create lift, allowing the sail to propel the boat. I can quantify this using the telltales, which are two ropes on either side of the sail that show how the wind is moving along the sail and help me understand what point of sail and sail trim I am on, which helps me go faster from sensory knowledge of constantly looking at the telltales. Despite not being a huge fan of physics, my history in personal experiences has helped me better comprehend how it works, allowing me to connect my sensory and empirical knowledge to improve my knowledge as a knower.
Language is shaped and molded by the customs, beliefs, and values of a certain country, all languages will inevitably have untranslatable words. For example, I frequently use the phrase “Shouganai,” which is a colloquial expression that signifies accepting a negative condition or consequence when a scenario cannot be avoided. Even though it is a Japanese cultural attitude, the word “shouganai” cannot be adequately translated into one word in English. I suggest that in order to grasp untranslatable idioms like “shouganai,” one must first immerse oneself in the culture of the language of the nation in which one is living, after which learning the local language becomes easier.
For example, I moved to Beijing from Japan when I was eight years old, and despite taking Japanese classes during my stay in Beijing, I was unable to continue learning Japanese at the same rate as I had in Japan. I moved to Hong Kong after living in Beijing and was able to pick up Cantonese and Mandarin, but my Japanese vocabulary had fallen behind. My personal experience of living in three countries over the last 17 years demonstrates how the personal experience may help you learn a language. The high rate at which children form neutral relationships can be explained psychologically. As a child’s brain develops, it becomes more specialized and reinforces the neural pathways that are used frequently, resulting in increased brain efficiency. Learning a language gets increasingly challenging as we become older because our brains have created neural shortcuts to improve efficiency, forcing us to rely on new language sounds or phonemes.
This is a crucial element in my exhibition because knowing the uniformity and commonality of the people in a country, and how that reflects the language spoken, is an important part of learning another language. Understanding a country’s culture requires personal experience, which correlates to being more knowledgeable. Personally experiencing a culture through communication can be advantageous when learning a new language because it creates a sense of relatability, which sharpens knowledge in a particular area of language.
Different cultures and countries’ native language influences and mold different beliefs and values. This is evident through the number “4”, countries such as China and Japan believe that “4” is an unlucky number whereas western countries believe that “4” is a lucky number. These superstitions are influenced through their native language and what different sounds and symbols represent different concepts. In language, auditory knowledge is essential to what molds symbols and superstitions. For example, in Japanese and Chinese when you say the number 4 which is pronounced as “shi” it sounds like the word death which is also represented by the auditory knowledge of “shi”. Hence when the number four is repeated or when it is with another number such as nighty four, it can come across as an undesirable expression. However, in America and Europe, the number 4 can be seen as a lucky number as the four-leaf clover is a symbol of luck and each leaf in the clover represents faith, love, hope and good fortune.
As I have moved to different countries four times and have been to six schools I have experienced many superstitions many students and teachers have. Even when living in Beijing my apparent building did not have the 4th floor whereas other western countries exclude the number 13. This is crucial to my show since personal knowledge and its relationship with auditory knowledge and religion is intertwined with a lot of how people conform and act. The way we interrupt what we feel and see can be complicated, but it is influenced by personal experiences, norms, cultural rules, traditions, and languages. Words give rise to thoughts, which then lead to actions based on the circumstances.’
Works Cited
Blanc, Klara. “Favorite Japanese Word of the Month : Shouganai.” Parisienne in Tokyo, 4 Jan. 2020, parisienneintokyo.com/favorite-japanese-word-of-the-month-shouganai/.
Shana Okayama