Language & Identity

Does language define who we are? For some, language and identity are irrevocably intertwined. Gloria Anzaldua, for example, considers the Chicano language and culture the exact same thing. However, I think that she exaggerates the connection between the two. Anzaldua seems to think that language is required before a culture can become a true culture. But before she felt like the Chicano culture was recognized, she wrote a lot about how Chicanos were persecuted for their language. What she was really talking about, I think, was their culture in general. It's still wrong, but even if they all spoke different languages, Chicanos would still be Chicanos.

Language is a part of identity because it's a part of culture, but it does not determine who a person is. Since it goes along with culture, though, language is a part of a person's identity. People who speak the same language usually live around the same area and with the same lifestyle. Language comes before culture, not the other way around.

Nevertheless, one could say that language is a large part of one's identity. When someone is heard speaking an "inferior" language, then others view them as inferior and treat them without the usual amount of respect. Language also defines a person's level of education. For example, using larger and more complex words makes one seem much more intelligent than using simply monosyllabic speech. The more languages that a person knows, the more worldly and cultured they seem. Furthermore, people feel comforted by their own languages. If someone feels out of place in a country where they don't understand the native language, they tend to gravitate to others who speak their own dialect.

In conclusion, I guess I would say that, while language is a cardinal component of who a person is, it does not define the person. Rather, how they speak using that language is what defines them.