The Multilingualism: Language and Cultural Identity
The Multilingualism: Language and Cultural Identity

Summary/Abstract: The article considers the relationship between multilingualism and cultural identity. The focus is on the social status of spoken languages and cultural identity. Cultural identity is looked upon as a complex notion which encompasses a collective memory of one’s family, community, nation, country, ancestral history, etc. It refers to customs, traditions, beliefs, values that construct a person’s sense of belonging. The relationship between multilingualism and cultural identity is not straightforward since cultures are not static. They change over time due to factors such as globalization, migration, technological advancements, etc. Languages are also not static. They undergo changes since people adapt the language, they speak to match the changing reality. The article describes the ways, how the relationship between language and cultural identity gives expression to positive and negative characteristics. The article also considers cultural identity in partnership with the mother tongue of an individual. The example from the discussion where international students at the university talk about their cultural identity and the mother tongue is provided.

• Details
• Contents