Same Situation; Different Context

While it is important to understand that different situations will call for different intricacies, as I mentioned in Tuesday's post, it is also crucial to know that sometimes even the same situation will require you to use different intricacies or act differently. Recently, my friend and I stopped by the Iskcon temple located in downtown Boston. It was a really nice experience and very similar to my first experience in an Iskcon temple which I wrote about in my traveler's log. However, despite the most obvious similarities such as having to take your shoes off before entering, there was something strangely different about the temple in Boston. 

First off, the architecture of the exterior of the building was oddly Western; in other words, it was pretty much the typical building you would see anywhere in a city. Even the interior felt more Western: instead of gold idols, there were many different portraits on the walls of the temple--I didn't have a chance to inspect any of them up close though-- and instead of the temple consisting of one large room, there were many smaller rooms. It actually felt more like a house than a temple. I think a good word to describe it would be "simple", it was very simple compared to the one I saw in India.

Second off, there were several elements that were in the first temple that were altered or completely missing here. For example, the first thing I noticed in the temple in Bangalore was the strong scent of incense, however, at this temple, the scent was almost undetectable. Also, rather than people walking around clockwise to the different idols, people at this temple seemed to be all over the place. A group was singing in the prayer room, several were in the hallway, a few were in the foyer, and a group of children were playing upstairs. My friend and I wondered throughout the different rooms while greeting other people. It did feel more communal than the first one I went to, although the feeling of welcomeness was pretty much the same.

So what am I getting at by telling you this? Well, my point is, despite it being an Iskcon temple-- that is, the same situation as in India-- the discourse in this temple was much different. You cannot take your knowledge about one specific thing and expect it to help you with every similar situation. For example, consider a class or a board meeting. We all know how they are structured and what to expect during each, however, what you know about how a science class works won't necessarily help you succeed in an English class, or knowing how a meeting with your boss normally goes won't necessarily help you in a meeting with the CEO. Right?

Situations that are virtually the same will always require some small adjustments to figure out. Whether it's going to a religious establishment, taking a class, going to a meeting, or even while writing, you should always be aware of what minor changes you need to make in each situation. 

Let's consider writing for a moment: as discussed in previous posts, there are many different forms of writing including casual writing, business writing, academic writing, and email writing. Just because you are able to write great text messages to your friends does not mean you'll be able to write a well-written business proposal. In fact, if you tried to use your knowledge about casual writing to compose a more professional piece you will probably run into trouble.

The English language is the English language-- that's true, but the way you write in your journal will be quite different than the way you compose an email to your boss. Remember how there are common mistakes people make while writing emails? Well, these are not going to be errors while writing in a journal. That is because journal writing is more personal, and therefore, writing too much won't be an issue. However, while writing an email, including too much information may give the recipient of the email the impression that you are unable to be concise.

It's virtually the same situation, but a drastically different context.

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There are many different forms of writing, and even speaking, in English, and it is crucial that you understand each one. More importantly, it is important you understand which forms of writing will work in different contexts. Below is a list of types of writing and situations. I want you to consider each carefully. Which forms of writing will work best in different situations?

Types of Writing            Situation

Casual                             Writing an email to a colleague
Professional                    Writing a letter to a family member
Academic                        Writing a blog post
Business casual            Writing a paper for a graduate class
                                        Writing an email to a client
                                         Writing in your journal

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I'm really glad that I found the Iskcon temple in Boston. It seemed like a nice community of people, and most importantly like I could really learn something from going there more frequently. It can always be beneficial to surround yourself with people who know more than you do because that's how you learn! If you would like further elaboration on anything mentioned in this post or any of the previous ones, don't hesitate to send us an email at levelupproficiency@gmail.com or send us a message on our Facebook page. 

Also, we are going to be creating a new brand image sometime in the near future, but before we do, we want to reach out to you all first. Is there anything, in particular, you would like to see from Level-Up Proficiency? Is there any information or lessons you would like to receive? What method would you prefer to receive such material (writing, video, et cetera)? Do you have any ideas for a new logo or slogan? We want to hear your opinions and insights!

-Ryan M. Shea, English Proficiency Specialist