Language as a tool for identity and cross-cultural connection

¶ … interact with the world is through language. Even those who cannot speak use the complex system of sign language to get their point across and have conversations with others. Without language, we become isolated and disconnected from the outside world. We need language to survive as a species. On a more personal level, language has played a huge role in my identity development. I am proud to be multilingual because I feel able to flow between many different cultures. My native language is Chinese, one of the most important and historic languages of the world. I speak English, the most important language in the modern world, as a second language. In the future, I sincerely hope to learn at least one new language so that when I work and travel, I can relate to others in meaningful ways. Learning new languages exposes us to different people, different cultures, and new ideas.

Although language can unite people, it can also seem to be a barrier. All of us, at one time or another, has experienced the language barrier such as when we travel. The language barrier can teach us to return to the basics of human communication. When we resort to gestures and simple words and phrases, we force ourselves to distill ideas into their simplest components. Instead of saying something in a complex or sophisticated way, or in a way that relies on jargon and slang, we remember to speak slowly and in simple terms. It is a great challenge to speak with someone who is just learning a new language, because their vocabulary is limited. I remember when I was first learning English how some people were impatient, whereas others were kind and changed the way they spoke with me.

Likewise, I also change my pronunciation, pace of speaking, and word choice when speaking with certain people. As Wells points out, the pronunciation of words naturally changes over time, partly due to changing social and historical circumstances. Depending on whether those people are native Chinese speakers or native English speakers, my choice and style of language may be different. I believe it is a matter of respect to alter the way we speak in order to have the best possible success in the interaction. Changing the way we speak can also be important when it comes to different social or professional situations. For example, we speak differently to our friends and close relatives than to our boss or teachers. The language we use, even when speaking with others who share the same native tongue, often depends on social status and the situation.

Because I have come to appreciate languages and enjoy learning, I have strong language goals for the future. I intend to learn at least one more language in the near future. Specifically, I am learning a little Japanese and Korean so that when I travel to those countries, I feel comfortable interacting with the people. I also hope to learn at least one other European language such as French, also to help me when I am traveling. Learning other languages can improve my job prospects, as most companies have a global presence. "Communicating directly with new clients and companies in their native language is one of the first steps to founding a lasting, stable international business relationship," (DeValoes 1). I believe that it is already favorable to speak more than one language. In the future, it will become even more important to speak multiple languages in the workplace or in international politics.