Role of Language in Maintaining Ethnic Identity

International Journal of Recent Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (IJRRSSH)
Vol. 1, Issue 1, pp: (6-12), Month: April - June 2014, Available at: www.paperpublications.org
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Role of Language in Maintaining Ethnic Identity
Samiya Taskeen1
, Nargis Saleem2
, Asma Shehzadi3
1,3
Department of Linguistics at Lahore Institute of Future Education UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE, PAKISTAN
2
Department of linguistics LAHORE LEADS UNIVERSITY
Abstract: Identity means to display ourselves how we want others to perceive us. How people construct their identities has
been an important concern. Because, identity is an important mode of lifestyle. Language has been in close relationship with
identity. Role of language in maintenance of identity has been obvious in many renowned works. The Present study
investigated the role of language in constructing ethnic identity and data interpretation revealed the need and importance of
language for maintenance of identity.
Keywords: Identity, maintenance, language, ethnic group, researchers.
1. Introduction
Identity and language are in close relationship. Identity includes the ways in which we, through the use of language reveal
who we are and we not only display who we exactly are rather we also display “how we want people to see us”. People
create their identities through the use of language. (Paltridge 2007, 2008) The Present study was concerned with Identity of
an ethnic group. Status and the development of ethnic identities is influenced by the interaction of many factors ( Lazarev V
& Pravikova L ,2005).
RESEARCH DESIGN& INSTRUMENT:
This was a quantitative research which utilized quantitative research instrument which was questionnaire.
POPULATION:
Target population was Language students of private sector universities of Pakistan.
SAMPLING:
Minhaj University was taken as sample. 100 questionnaires were distributed among language students and responses were
calculated in percentage as shown in the following table shows to get the average response of people.
Data was analyzed in the form of percentage and the following results WERE derived.
SR
No
Statements Agree+strongly agree neutral
Disagree+strongly
disagree
1 An ethnic group as a whole can preserve its identity 28% 32% 40%
2 Values are being preserved by language. 53% 21% 26%
3 Identities determine inferiority or superiority of language. 35% 30% 35%
4 Superiority of a language is determined by the culture 32% 40% 28%
5 To construct ethnic identity language is essential. 75% 5% 20%
6 It’s a matter of great pride to get education in native language. 40% 10% 50%
7 Language shifts by shift in group values. 50% 30% 20%
8 Societal demands affect the language use of the group 41% 19% 40%
9 Bilingual education enhances language compatibility to interact 41% 38% 21%

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at national and international level to promote culture.
10 Bilingual education helps to enlarge cultural boundaries. 32% 43% 25%
11 Language supports bilingual identities. 25% 49 26
12 Role models affect language of minor groups. 41% 31% 28%
13 Language is a means of maintaining status in a society. 35% 47% 18%
14 Wants affect identities of groups. 38% 21% 41%
2. Analysis of Questions
2.1. An Ethnic Group as a Whole can Preserve Its Identity
The Researchers included this statement to find out whether people think that an ethnic group can preserve its identity, living
in a bilingual situation or not. The Researchers found that most of the people thought that an ethnic group cannot preserve its
identity because of the influence of the other dominant groups present in that specific area. However the views were not
totally one sided as the people who thought that identity can be preserved were also 28% against the odd 40%. So we can say
that the views were not only one sided.
This question meant to find out the relation between the language and values of a community. The Researchers wanted to find
out that whether or not values of a community or a group are influenced by a language. Results were driven by calculating
responses of respondents by getting 53% in the favor of the point that language preserves the values of a community against
the 26% people who disagreed or strongly disagreed to this point. However 21% remained neutral.
2.2. Values are being Preserved by Language

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2.3. Identities Determine Inferiority or Superiority of Language
This question was aimed to find out that whether or not an identity of a group of people DESIGNATES their language as
superior or inferior or not. Researchers found that people in society tend to speak dominant languages instead of other local
languages that are present in country. That is why the people from middle class also fantasize about that language and tend to
speak languages of high prestige instead of their mother tongue. This situation compelled the researchers to ask this question
as well to find out the views of people who instead of maintaining their identity through language switch to speak dominant
languages. But surprisingly found the mixed views about this situation. This shows that only half of the people think that it is
fact that identity determines the inferiority or superiority of a language.
2.4. Superiority of a Language is Determined by the Culture
We all know that European and American culture is praised all over the world for their superiority and well organization. And
both of these cultures use English language as their first language and it is obvious that English has become linguafranca in
the whole world. The Researchers intended to find out that whether culture determines the superiority of a language.
Responses revealed that 32% of people think that it is true that a language is superior when its speakers have strong cultural
basis. 40% remained neutral or had a limited knowledge about the subject so they voted for neutral.
2.5. To Construct Ethnic Identity Language is Essential

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Intentions behind this question were to analyze the role of language in constructing ethnic identity.
Responses to this question gave clear views that it is always essential for a group to speak or maintain their own language to
construct an ethnic identity. 75% of the people got agreed to this fact and supported the necessity of language for constructing
an ethnic identity
2.6. It’s a Matter of Great Pride to Get Education in Native Language
This question was asked to find out what people think of getting education in their own language. Was it a matter of pride that
their children would get education in their own language to Here things get a little complicated when we turn to this question.
However 40% of people considered it a matter of great pride to get educated in their native language but exceptions are
always there as responses lead the researchers towards the fact that 50% respondents denied the fact.
Language shifts by shift in group values.
Generally speaking communities keep on shifting. Intentions behind given question were to investigate whether this shift is
confined to cultural values or language also suffers. Pakistan, for example as a former colony of British is under the influence
of that culture and so is our language. Hence, the researchers got the view that 50% respondents supported that language
shifts becomes essential in case of shifting of group values. Language and culture shift relationship were the intentions
behind this statement.
2.7. Societal Demands Affect the Language Use of the Group

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Speakers use language as per demand. In a monolingual community speaker cannot be bilingual or multilingual in official
rather non official dealings rather in such cases all the speakers are supposed to be monolingual. So Here societal demands
means the needs of getting a job or getting due position in society. Here also researchers received mixed answers for. 41% got
agreed that society compels a person to change his language and 40% denied the fact.
2.8. Bilingual Education Enhances Language Compatibility to Interact at National and International Level to
Promote Culture
The Researchers intended to know how much bilingual education helps people to interact nationally and internationally to
promote their culture. Because the researchers perceived that a person would be able to promote his culture and values only if
he would be able to communicate in other language that is known by second speaker. However only 41% supported the view.
2.9. Bilingual Education Helps to Enlarge Cultural Boundaries
The hypothesis behind this question was to get the idea that whether bilingual education would help a culture to expand or
not .The researchers were sure to get maximum positive results about this but fact was that only 32% respondents supported
the hypothesis and 43% were remained neutral.
2.10. Language Supports Bilingual Identities

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Bearing the hypothesis that language supports bilingual identities the researchers calculated responses. Intentions were again
to see the role of language in supporting bilingual identities instead of ethnic identity. This statement was not easy to answer.
Respondents found themselves unable to argue over hers that is why 49% remained neutral. Those who were in favor were in
minority as only 25% got agreed and 26% got disagreed.
2.11. Role Models Affect Language of Minor Groups
This question was aimed to analyze that whether the role model which always affect the life styles of minor groups or
individuals, also have effect on the language of the target group or not. 41% realized the effects of role models on their
language accordingly. They tend to follow the language of their role models. However the 28% did not agree with this point
of view and 31% remained neutral.
2.12. Language is a Means of Maintaining Status in a Society
The researchers intended to see whether language helps in maintenance of status if it does, then how?. For example in
Pakistani context status conscious group tend to speak English language obviously as a tool of maintenance of status.
Researchers expected positive responses but respondents did not support the view as much as was being expected.
Responses revealed that 35% got agreed18% stand on rival side while 47% remained neutral.
2.13. Wants Affect Identities of Groups

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Researchers intended to know the perceptions of people about the affect of wants on group identities. Wants here means
group desires. This view was supported by 38% respondents and 41% stand on rival sides while 21% remained neutral. So
the affect of role models on ethnic group identities was found minimum.
3. Conclusion
Finally this can be concluded that most of the people think that language and identity are in close relationship with each other
and cannot be separated from one another. Identity is formulated through the language and is preserved through the language
and also it changes with the language change. Language determines the identity of a group and in the light of the views of
people. Therefore, a person or a group needs to maintain their language choice to maintain their identity in their society.
Desires of people also have effect over their language use. Social needs also compel a group to change language. It seems as
if bilingual education also helped in the expansion of culture. Mixed views are received over the question of inferiority and
superiority of a language by any means. Some respondents supported the view that culture lets the language to be superior
and few thought that it was not true. Some responses revealed that it is social status that determines language prestige.
REFERENCES
[1]. Hall, S. (1996) Introduction: Who needs Identity? in S. Hall & P. du Gay (Eds.) Questions of Cultural identity. Sage:
London.
[2]. Williams M (2005) Constructing and Reconstructing Chinese American Bilingual Identity: University of Michigan
Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism Cascadilla Press Somerville.
[3]. Eckert, Penelope. 2000. Linguistic Variation as Social Practice: The Linguistic Construction of Identity in Belten
High. Oxford: Blackwell.
[4]. Nelde P., N. Labrie & C. H. Williams. (1992) The principles of territoriality and personality in the solution of
linguistic conflicts. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 13/5, 387-406.
[5]. Lazarev V & Pravikova L (2005)The North Caucasus Bilingualism and Language Identity Proceedings of the 4th
International Symposium on Bilingualism Cascadilla Press Somerville.
[6]. Paltridge,B.(2007,2008) Discourse Analysis:MPG books Ltd,Badmin,Cornwall.

Role of Language in Maintaining Ethnic Identity

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