ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE
International scientific-online conference
45
THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN IDENTITY FORMATION
Hayitmurodova Gulinur Zafarovna
gulinurhayitmurodova162@gmail.com
Faculty of English Philology, Uzbekistan State
Word Languages University,
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14854435
Annotation:
This article gives information about how new language
learning can influence on individual’s perception of the world and their
understanding of self. It also explores the potential for language learning to
broaden perspectives, increase empathy, and enhance cultural understanding.
The article analyses how language can be a tool for promoting inclusivity,
diversity and social justice.
Key words
: language learning, new languages, identity, personality,
cultures, different nationalities, social movements.
Language is one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind,
without which humans would be no different from animals. It is the main means
of communication that unites society and countries, as well as a unique element
that expresses people's mutual thoughts, feelings, and inner experiences. At the
same time, language is a tool that transmits knowledge accumulated over
centuries from generation to generation. The language of each country has its
own history, and it is not for nothing that it is said to be a factor in the formation
of personality. Language is considered as the main tool for determining a
country's position in the world, moreover, its culture, the spirit and mood of that
language will be absorbed into a person through it. If we pay attention, the
behavior of each nation, tone of speech, expression of thoughts are different,
they are not similar to each other, sometimes their way of life may seem strange
to us. In fact, this is a normal situation, along with the language, a person's
identity is formed.
Today, most people around the world are not limited to one or two
languages, but are multilingual and are discovering new worlds for themselves.
It is said that a person who has learned many languages has a broad mind
because the language has taught them to think globally and opened many doors
of knowledge. But one thing should always be kept in mind, when a new
language enters a country, its culture also enters directly. When a person learns
another language, he inevitably learns its culture, which in turn affects the
formation of his personality. There are several positive effects of language
ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE
International scientific-online conference
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learning on personality. Firstly, people are exposed to diverse cultures,
traditions, and ways of thinking while they learn a new language. When learning
another language, a person reads books written in that language, shows interest
in its history, watches movies, regularly follows the news, during these
processes he automatically learns the customs of that nation, the behavior of its
people, as a result, he can communicate with representatives of the nation
without any misunderstandings and this will help to improve inter-ethnic
relations. Secondly, it strengthens self-awarness. As a person navigates a new
language and culture, he becomes more aware of his own cultural biases,
assumptions, and communication styles. People gain a deeper understanding of
how their own language shapes their perception of the world and how they
interact with others. This self-reflection can lead to personal growth and a
greater appreciation for person's own identity.
Language is not just a tool for communication, but also cornerstone,
powerful shaper of identity. Among the many symbolic resources available for
the cultural production of identity, language is the most flexible and pervasive.
Using survey data from Catalonia and exploiting variation in the number of years
of compulsory education under Catalan instruction, results show that
individuals who experienced greater exposure to teaching in Catalan are more
likely to say that they feel more Catalan than Spanish. As is the case for most of
the reforms involving changes in the languages of instruction, the introduction
of bilingualism in Catalan schools was associated with other adjustments in the
educational system, such as changes in textbooks and course contents. [2]. By
this example it is obvious that new language is new feelings, new personality,
they start to feel, think even dream in that language. Therefore, it is important to
teach, learn new languages attentively and carefully so that they could not
impact on our personality, identity negatively, otherwise, it would be difficult to
give up the behaviour they formed.
A person`s identity can be influenced by different factors (parents, peers,
region) at different ages. These factors can influence a person`s language use:
During childhood, a person’s language will mirror their parents’ as
they are who they'll interact with the most.
When speakers reach secondary school, they may start to adopt
their peers' language features due to socialising with more social groups.
A person’s regional identity will be shown through their use of a
regional accent. This could change to take on features of different regions, for
example, if someone moves to a different area for a significant length of time.[1]
ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE
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In 1999, linguists Keith and Shuttleworth carried out a series of
conversation analyses of men's and women's speech.Their findings concluded
that there are typical speech characteristics for each gender, shown in the table
below [3]:
Women
Men
Talk too much
Insult each other
More polite
Competitive in conversation
Hesitant
Dominate conversation
Complain or nag
Speak with authority
Ask questions
Give more commands
Support each other
Interrupt more
From this table it can be concluded two genders have two different
speaking styles associated not only with language, but also with identity and
individuality.
In conclusion, the language as a social interactional tool plays a crucial role
to shape the cultural identity representing and framing people‘s linguistic and
cultural backgrounds to exchange their personal experiences, social realities,
cultural norms and historical traditions among the members of a specific group
establishing an enriched socio-cultural life within a country. [4]
References:
1.
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk
2.
Clots-Figueras, I., & Masella, P. Education, language and identity, 2013
3.
Keith, G., & Shuttleworth, J. Living Language. Hodder Education. 1999
4.
Parajuli, B. Role of language in shaping cultural identity, 2021
