112 Marsyangdi Journal, Vol.

II, 112-118 ISSN 2738-9588

Role of Language in Shaping Cultural Identity

Babita Parajuli
Pokhariya Secondary School, Biratnagar-3 Morang
M. Phil Scholar, Nepal Open University

ABSTRACT
This paper aims to explore the role of language in shaping the cultural identity of people in a
society with an argumentative explanation based on the relevant literature. The descriptive
summary from the documentary analysis in the paper mainly focuses on the positive and
communicational role of language to establish the foundation of cultural landscape through the
continuous representation and transmission of diverse cultural characteristics such as people’s
thoughts, behaviors, cultural histories, traditions, values, principles and boundaries within a
socio-cultural context. Moreover, the paper indicates that language as a linguistic channel
navigates people’s commonality and unity framing them in a single pattern of cultural identity. It
is suggested that every language as a powerful source of introducing cultural politics requires
continuous transmission, preservation and promotion by the nation as an opportunity for the new
generations to be born with distinct cultural identity.

Keywords: cultural identity, language learning, cultural representation, language

hegemony, ancestral dialects

CONTEXT
Language is one of the determiners of understanding people‘s culture in the world. When
a speaker communicates a particular language people may speculate about the origin, nationality,
culture, religion and ethnicity of the speaker as language reflects embedded cultural identities of
people within a language. Hall (1997) states that language represents the shared meanings of a
particular culture and culture exchanges the meaning through language with the society members.

Primarily, language as one of the mediums of conveying innumerable opinions, ideas,

emotions and knowledge serves multiple functions in framing the diverse cultural identities of a
particular group. Different languages representing diverse geographical locations express people‘s
voices reflecting their cultural identities. The language and culture continuously co-create cultural
values, traditions and identities through human interaction (Maine et al., 2019). Language can
reveal the different hidden social and cultural realities of the people when they develop a certain
lifestyle and culture with the family members and society through languages from early life.
Bucholtz and Hall (2005) state that a person‘s identity results in linguistic interaction as a social
and cultural phenomenon rather than an internal and psychological one. Therefore, the linguistic
performance of individuals distinguishes their cultural identity as they use distinct language to
talk and perceive the world.
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Many social theorists and cultural researchers in the area of sociolinguistics and anthropology
argue for the role of language in shaping cultural identity. For example, Kennedy (2019) states
that language can positively navigate and construct cultural identity by strengthening the
connection of people in the community. Similarly, Ennaji (2005) illustrates that what factor
differentiates an Arab and a French from an Igbo has the cultural communicative function of their
mother tongue as the culture can transmit the people‘s shared mentality, lifestyle and behaviors
based on local, tribal and national languages. Every language with a distinctive nature shapes the
people‘s cultural identity with the reflection of different social and cultural realities, historical
traditions, typical lifestyles, shared cultural values and belief systems of a specific society
resulting in the promotion of solidarity, preservation of cultural traditions and developing the
socio-cultural system of a nation.

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the question of how the role of language is
in shaping the cultural identity of people in society providing an argumentative description based
on the relevant literature. The related themes are presented in the following sections to analyze
and explain the role of language in shaping cultural identity.

Language and Cultural Identity

Language is the tool of cultural sharing between the members of a community because
interacting in a language means understanding the culture and the process of being an integral
part of it.

Supporting this, Fuller (2007) emphasized that the cultural identity depended on
interlocutors 'interactions and the choice of language in different social contexts. Similarly,
Vygotsky (1980) argued that the interaction between individuals and the community performed
the semiotic functions therefore language as a linguistic and cognitive tool supported children to
internalize the social and cultural thoughts of others at first before framing their psychological
thoughts in the community. However, some researchers questioned the role of language as a sole
source of framing the cultural identity by stating that language also can create a cultural identity
crisis in the society as Giri (2010) stressed that people speaking Nepali and English languages
had more power and control over the minority language speakers in Nepal leading socio-cultural
and linguistic disorders and identity crisis with socio-economical displacement.

This may be the case that language can create a cultural identity crisis as a threat however
Edewor et al. (2014) claimed that cultural identity could be redefined and restructured to address
the crisis and the denial of identity, security, equality and autocratic roles of the government was
more responsible to create ethnic or cultural conflict in Nigeria. Similarly, language acquisition
and the foundation of cultural identity take place earlier than the situation of an identity crisis
(Gelman & Roberts, 2017).

The above findings of the literature show that language guides the cultural identity as
language comes first before learning about the culture and framing identity in a new social
situation.
114 Marsyangdi Journal Vol. II August, 2021

Language Transmission and Cultural Exchange

Language transmission from one generation to another generation provides a foundation
for cultural transmission and modification as mother tongue interaction in a family and society
helps to learn all the basic cultural values and traditions which grow as an identity in the future.

Gelman and Roberts (2017) indicated that language as a powerful engine of cultural
transmission exchanged different sets of cultural skills representing the private, public, cultural
and mental system of the society. Likewise, Kinzler et al. (2011) interpreted the role of mother
tongue as one of the social and cultural identity markers as more than 6000 mutually
unintelligible human languages were mostly learnable in early childhood. However, some
researchers argue that language transmission within a particular culture can be challenging for
establishing a separate cultural identity if the language speakers migrated from one nation or
culture to the next as Bhugra (2004) contradicted that when individuals from a particular socio-
cultural background migrated to another linguistic and cultural background, they might feel
socio-economically disadvantaged, culturally discriminated and alienated.

Learning language and shaping a new cultural identity can be a problem for people in the
new socio-cultural context, on the contrary, the findings of Miller and Collette (2019)
emphasized that people improved their multicultural identity and life standard developing the
required skills to function in the multicultural society after learning the international languages
with a sense of satisfaction in the target culture and the pride of one‘s culture at the same time.

Therefore, these findings present that learning and transmission of language

continuously exchange cultural and multicultural identities irrespective of geographical location.

Language Hegemony and Cultural Representation

Multiple ethnic minority languages in Nepal have not been officially promoted and
preserved from the national level as a result cultural traditions and identity embedded within
these languages are on the verge of extinction. As the majority of people use the Nepali language
in the written and spoken discourse and English and Nepali languages are widely practiced as the
medium of education, media, technology, business and economics. Supporting this, Phyak (2013)
identified that many local languages of indigenous communities had fragile socio-political,
economic and educational representation due to the monolingual language policies of the country
therefore the language policies needed to establish the ethnic and cultural identity of indigenous
people incorporating them in the explicit policy formation and implementation. Similarly, Giri
(2011) argued that Nepal as a linguistically and culturally diversified country was ignorant to
promote ethnic minority languages due to the invisible language politics by the interest of ruling
elites as a result minority language had no definable position and adequate recognition in
different fields and language policy.

Focusing the representation of minority languages in media, Amatya (2015) reported that
about 6.58 % of indigenous media and journalists have empowered their languages and culture
Babita Parajuli/ Role of Language in Shaping Cultural Identity 115

by informing and entertaining indigenous people since there were 43 Newari, 13 Tharu, and 10
Tamang and two Rai languages newspapers including Gorkhaparta supplement daily from 32
indigenous languages.

On the other hand, Baral (2020) reported that the Danuwar community of Sindhuli
district as one of the 63rd marginalized communities of Nepal was not in the media
access to receive the information about COVID-19 and the majority of them did not
understand the Nepali language information broadcasting from the local radios and
television since they had own cultural identity speaking Done as mother tongue.

These findings indicate that promoting a language preserves the cultural and ethnic
identity, where there is the matter of one language hegemony over others, direct influence on the
cultural identity is observed which connects language to shape the cultural identity.

Preservation of Language as a Cultural Pride

Language develops and preserves the culture and culture interacts within the language
system therefore people with different castes and communities persistently want to preserve their
languages and cultural identity as cultural pride. For example, Gurung (2019) reported that the
Gurung community of Nepal wanted to develop a unified language script to preserve and
promote their cultural and ethnic identity for future generations as they were anxious that many
Gurungs lived in the foreign country without practicing their spoken and written language and
many youths in Nepal also started learning Korean and Japanese language to go abroad for the
job. Similarly, Katuwal (2018) reported that Khas is a major source of modern Nepali language
spoken by Chhetris, Bahuns, Thakuris and Dalits communities in the Karnali province of Nepal
including many indigenous languages such as Surel, Sanskrit, Hayu, Pahari, Meche, Jirel,
Dhimal and Kumal needed promotion and attention which were in the verge of extinction due to
the rare speakers for preserving the cultural interactions in these ancestral dialects.

Some scholars argue that cultural identity is more than only language preservation, as
various aspects can replicate the cultures. For example, Chapagain (2018) reported that the Raute
tribe of Nepal represented their separate cultural identity in terms of their dresses, lifestyles and
traditional belief system that they perceived the world differently and loved their migrating
nature thinking of the sky as their blanket and the earth as their bed.

However, Silwal (2011) asserted the Raute people and their children did not understand
the Nepali language as they have been establishing their nomadic lifestyle and cultural identity
through the transmission of the Raute language system. Therefore, how cultural identity presents
a particular community can be the output of the language system.

These findings reflect that the close connection between language and cultural identity
that lack language preservation brings a threat to their cultural identity therefore people with
specific cultures want to promote their language system to endorse their ethnic dignity and
cultural pride.
116 Marsyangdi Journal Vol. II August, 2021

Language Learning and Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is associated with language learning because recognizing language
elements enable learners to assimilate with the cultural activities, sign, symbols and societal
consciousness encouraging to adjust in the new culture. Li (2013) argued that cultural
understanding and cultural transformation can be increased through learning diverse linguistic
features of a language which empowered learners against cultural hegemony. Similarly, Freire
(2020) focused that the multicultural and multilingual teaching-learning practices emphasized
socio-political consciousness, cultural awareness and social actions to foster the cultural identity
of the individual using languages.

However, Pinto and Araújo e Sá (2020) contradicted that language and cultural identity
go parallel to overcome the issues in society from diverse perspectives instead of promoting each
other. On the contrary, Donitsa-Schmidt and Vadish (2005) highlighted that language proficiency
and acculturation enabled the North American students to learn the Hebrew language, Israeli
culture and lifestyle for establishing new Israeli cultural identity while studying there.

Therefore, the above literature emphasise that language learning is one of the significant
components to trace the cultural identity promoting language learners to assimilate into the new
culture. For example, if someone is interested to understand and adopt the Newari culture, they
need to learn the Newari language as a foundation for shaping the Newari cultural identity.

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.

The paper illustrates that communicating in a language means understanding and

interpreting the in-depth social and cultural standards, values, lifestyle, signs, symbols and
directions related to a particular culture to reveal a separate cultural identity. Similarly, culture as
a social system nurtures language development in society and largely frames the expressions of
human narratives in their family and society. The paper reflects that people with a distinct
language and cultural identity feel proud to celebrate their linguistic and cultural solidarity as
language establishes the system of representation and transmission of cultures over the
generations. Furthermore, the promotion and preservation of languages develop the notion of
multiculturalism with the sound socio-political and cultural environment in the country. The
recognition of linguistic elements promotes cultural identity as national pride. As presented in the
studies, languages upraise the cultural positioning of a community generating development
opportunities in different fields such as socio-politics, education, media and economics.

Additionally, language functions as a cognitive tool to express and internalize the

linguistic terms relevant to the cultural background therefore the change of linguistic region may
Babita Parajuli/ Role of Language in Shaping Cultural Identity 117

result in individuals‘ adaptation to the new culture reframing linguistic diversity with cultural
identity. The different features and levels of mother tongue interconnect thoughts, cultural ethics
and social happenings in the form of cultural identity in the community. The content analysis of
the different themes highlight that a language creates the environment to reflect the culture and
culture provides the field to language practice therefore language learning and transmission for
cultural representation as a whole characterize the role of language in shaping and maintaining a
distinct cultural identity in the changing world. All human beings need to be responsible to save
the languages for shaping cultural identity.

Our internal thoughts and emotions may not be always ours, rather communicated and shaped
by the lens of our culture

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