Portable Concept Dictionary Essay

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The following are the ‘portable concepts’, which I defined in the aftermath of having read the assigned three readings:

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  1. Native speaker – a person, who was required to use a particular language, during his early years. As a result, the concerned person did not only learn how to construct phrases in this language but also how to think in it inside of his brain (Tan 1). The main indications that one can indeed be referred to as a native speaker, are the concerned individual’s fluency in what can be considered his native language, the person’s emotional comfortableness with this language, and his intuitive knowledge of many of the applicable grammatical rules and regulations.
  2. Multiculturalism – a political philosophy, based upon the assumption that, for people to be able to actualize themselves in life, they need to be provided with the opportunity to celebrate their ethnic and cultural uniqueness (Siapera 47). As of today, multiculturalism has attained the status of an official political ideology in many Western countries. Nevertheless, the concept in question continues to be criticized on the account of its presumed ability to contribute to the ‘decline of the West’ – something that many Westerners do believe is happening, as we speak.
  3. Cultural monism – the idea that, for a particular society to remain stable, it must be associated with only one culture (Siapera 49). While substantiating the validity of this idea, the concept’s proponents point out to the fact that, as practice indicates, the very situation when a society is comprised of the affiliates of two or more cultures, undermines the society’s stability from within. As of today, the concept of cultural monism is being actively deployed in China, as the main principle of ensuring the country’s continual ability to compete with other nations. However, in light of what accounts for the realities of modern living, the concept of cultural monism appears somewhat outdated.
  4. Perceptual infantilism – one’s tendency to think of the surrounding reality’s expressions, as such, that reflect some ‘deeper meaning’, which in turn causes the concerned person to pursue a highly spiritual/religious lifestyle. For example, many perceptually infantile individuals believe in the ‘afterlife’ and rely on the help of the spirits of their long-deceased relatives, while addressing life-challenges (Fadiman 10). In its turn, this can be explained by the fact that, due to their evolutionary underdevelopment, these individuals are quite incapable of understanding the nature of the relationship between causes and effects. As practice suggests, this type of person is well represented throughout the social classes of just about any society.
  5. Cultural solidarity – can be defined as the measure of people’s willingness to adopt an active stance, when it comes to defending their culture/national customs – contrary to what appears to be the impossible odds. For example, despite having been dramatically outnumbered by the Chinese, the Hmong people in China nevertheless succeeded in preserving their cultural identity (Fadiman 17). The reason for this was the fact that, while adhering to the values of cultural solidarity, these people never ceased considering themselves to be much different from the rest of their co-citizens.

I believe that the above-formulated ‘portable concepts’ are fully consistent with the actual subject matters that they are supposed to connote. As such, these concepts can indeed be considered legitimate.

Works Cited

Fadiman, Anne. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. Print.

Siapera, Eugenia. Cultural Diversity and Global Media: The Mediation of Difference. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. Print.

Tan, Amy 2000. Mother Tongue. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2021) 'Portable Concept Dictionary'. 17 February.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "Portable Concept Dictionary." February 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/portable-concept-dictionary/.

1. IvyPanda. "Portable Concept Dictionary." February 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/portable-concept-dictionary/.


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IvyPanda. "Portable Concept Dictionary." February 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/portable-concept-dictionary/.

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