culture and Identity

1. Culture and Identity through
English as a Lingua Franca
“ A language that is adopted as a common language
between speakers whose native languages are different “

2. Does Culture = Identity
Discussion Question
First, we must understand the relationship between Culture, Identity and
Language
Compare + Contrast
How Does Language influence
Culture + Identity?

3. What am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went
before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am
everyone everything whose being-in-the- world was affected by mine. I
am anything that happens after I’ve gone which would not have
happened if I had not come.
– Salman Rushdie, Midnight’s Children (1981)
Quote on Identity

4. Exploring Identity (Characteristics)
There are 3 major Types of Identity
1. Imposed (Non-negotiable)
2. Assumed (Accepted by society)
3. Negotiable (Can be contested by diff.
Individuals)
Can you think of examples?
Definition: Identification with a social
or cultural group. This sense of “self”
is expressed through language or
symbolic gestures.

5. Important to consider
● For the majority of people in the history of human societies social
relations revolved around a local geographical region
● People did not recognise competition, let alone opposition
● Globalization has lead to fundamental changes in social relations
● Previous “solid” social structures have evolved into a “liquified state”
● There is now more freedom offered to the individual to construct
their own identities based on the multitude of choices offered
through education and virtual communities

6. Role of Language when in constructing Identity
“Everytime we speak, we are negotiating our sense of self in relation to the larger
world” - Norton 2010
● Identity is constructed in relation to others, with language and discourse playing an
essential role. (not given)
● Use of language can directly result in power differences through less
prestigious/non-standard linguistics
● In Multilingual environments we can often find the notion of Liminality or “Third
space” which can evolve into linguistic identity

7. When Language is modified and adapted for a cultures own purposes and needs...sound
familiar?

8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpeEdMmmQ0

9. ● Can be constructed from a diverse network of
groupings such as nationality, generation, class,
religion and two key elements… Ethnicity and
Race
● we make use of audible, visible and readable
cues which indicate previous constructions of
cultural identities for us
● a process that is as much about assigning
categories by others as it is about self-selection
Exploring “Cultural Identity”
Through ethnicity and Race
This becomes most apparent when
self-selection and ascription by
others do not coincide

10. Cultural Identity in the world of Globalization
❏ As Global use of english and accessibility to new language
grows, Cultural forms shift and people begin forming new
identities
❏ Transcultural flows: ways in which cultural forms move, change
and are reused to fashion new identities in diverse contexts
❏ Enables us to enjoy identities that go beyond our native language,
ethnicity or place of birth
❏ However, we still need to negotiate our identity accordingly
within pre existing power structures

11. Identity in the context of
ELF
In an ELF environment, people can feel a multiplicity of identities that can
conflict when when trying to fit neatly in a membership category. This is because
language practices symbolize identity which in turn, feedback to language. Many
ELF users identify with their own use of modified language rather than American
or British english therefor making being a “native speaker” contextually
dependant. This is because ELF is used to make relevant language adaptations to
suit the societies constructed identity. This means that language, along with
identity, can be seen as a process that is complex and constantly changing to suit
the needs of the user. Because of this multitude of complexity, cultural identities
cannot be assumed simply through use of a language but negotiation between
one’s sense of self and others ascribed identities is crucial.

12. How does this influence my
teaching style?
1. Focusing on internationally recognizable pronunciation
2. Using a wide variety of ‘non-native speaker’ recordings
3. Using interactions between ‘non-native speakers’
4. Using ‘non-native speakers’ as models of the language

13. Discussion Questions
1. Can you name any ELF environments? Please share your
experiences or knowledge
2. How has the english language been adapted since you were a
child? Can you think of any words that were frequently used in the
past but not so much in the present? Or vice versa?
3. In relation to most of human history, creating a cultural identity
has been drastically changed due to globalization. In your opinion,
is this positive or negative? Why?