These days, there is a view that culture should be explored by learning its language and it is the best way to do that. Because it can enhance communication with locals and it can reflect to traditions and values. However, I disagree with this statement since culture can be learned by experience and language doesn’t guarantee deep understanding of culture.
It is true that studying language can help to obtain essential knowledge about new culture, by having more real communication with local people. Speaking their native language helps to interact more naturally, understand their humor and even social norms. Another main advantage of learning language might be reflection traditions and values, which is analysing their idioms, words and expressions to know how people think and what they value in their culture. Most Asian countries, for example, as Japan and Korea have many polite forms that show respect and hierarchy.
Nevertheless, there are several drawbacks, such as knowing language doesn’t guarantee cultural understanding and it takes a long time to learn. Starting with first statement, it should be clear that, even people who are having high-professional level of language, may misunderstand cultural meanings or behavior. For instance, most people who have already learned japanese language, still can’t understant the deep concept of harmony that shapes Japanese society. Indeed, it isn’t secret that learning new language requires years of practise and even some financial support, which can be hard to maintain for a long period.
However, there are some another ways, how to get into the culture and it is getting experience, I mean to travel or to live in one particular country for some period, or people can stay in motherland but continue to learn about new culture by visiting festivals, museums and studying history. In Tashkent, for example, recently have been conducted Chuseok festival, which is popular Korean holiday, where people could watch traditional dance, try their local cousin and purchase some staff which is associated to this culture. Even this small festivals can help people to feel and to learn about new cultures.
To sum up, although learning language can be good aspect since it can offer opportunities as communication with locals and reflection traditions and values, I strongly believe that even without spending a lot of time and finance to knowing the language, we can understand culture deeper, thanks to visiting festivals, museums and studying history, which is more essential.