It is often said “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Do you think people should adapt and accept the culture of the country they visit? Do you think it is possible to learn a culture without learning the language?

Some people believe that learning a

language

will help in understanding the

culture

of a particular country.

However

, I believe there are two sides to

this

coin, which need to be addressed. The

first

side is that not all traditions and cultures are

language

-based. It comes down to the individual interest, if they want to learn they will learn. So no guarantee learning a

language

will give you a better understanding of a particular

culture

.

For instance

, many foreigners have a better understanding of Hindu mythology as compared to Indians, even though it is

this

very mythology

that is

part of our

culture

.

This

is mainly because there are many computer and mobile applications that can translate any

language

with the click of a button, thereby allowing a person to get familiar with a particular

culture

in their native

language

. The other side of the coin to be considered is the human element of it. If you know the local

language

, it is much easier to engage fellow locals and begin to understand the

culture

and traditions from their point of you and not only that, you would be able to join them as they partake in the traditions. Reading material content on tradition is one thing, but living and embracing it is another, which I feel can only be done by learning the

language

of the country. To sum it all up, I think it is naive to say that you can learn about a

culture

or tradition without knowing about the

language

because the “human component” always plays an important role. As always, only if something is interesting will one have the motivation to learn it.