By Dalat TESOL
A conversation about how language shapes identity â and why culture is never neutral
đȘWho Do You Become in English?
Have you ever noticed how your personality shifts slightly when speaking a second language? Maybe you speak more directly, or feel less expressive. Some learners say they feel âmore confidentâ in English, while others say they feel âless themselves.â
Thatâs not just about vocabulary â itâs about identity.
Language is not simply a tool for communication. Itâs a cultural practice, a social identity marker, and a gateway to belonging. When we switch languages, we also negotiate who we are, how weâre seen, and how we want to be understood.
đ What Is Identity in Intercultural Communication?
In intercultural studies, identity is more than a fixed category (like âVietnameseâ or âinternational studentâ). It is:
- Multiple (we all have many identities: gendered, linguistic, professional, nationalâŠ)
- Contextual (how we speak at home may differ from how we speak in class)
- Negotiated (our identities shift depending on who weâre talking to and how weâre positioned)
As Norton (2013) famously argued, identity is âhow a person understands their relationship to the world, how that relationship is constructed across time and space, and how the person understands possibilities for the future.â
This means that learning a language is never just about grammar. Itâs about access â to communities, opportunities, and even self-expression.
đ Vietnamese Learners Navigating English: A Local Lens
Letâs make this real.
Lan, a Vietnamese MA student in TESOL, is active and witty in Vietnamese. But in English seminars, she becomes hesitant. She feels her jokes donât land, her intonation sounds too flat, and her ideas seem âless smart.â
When asked to present, she focuses on sounding âcorrectâ rather than âherself.â She later reflects, âIn English, I feel like a quiet version of me.â
Lanâs experience isnât unusual. Research shows that many second-language speakers adjust their personality depending on their perceived fluency, accent, or fear of stereotyping.
Some learners feel liberated â English offers distance from local hierarchies. Others feel invisible â unable to express cultural nuances or humor.
The process of identity negotiation in language learning is emotional, social, and deeply tied to belonging.
đ Essentialism vs. Constructionism: How We See Culture
A key debate in intercultural communication is whether culture and identity are:
| View | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Essentialist | Identities are fixed, and cultures have stable âcore traitsâ | âVietnamese students are always respectful and avoid eye contactâ |
| Constructionist | Identities are fluid, shaped by discourse, history, and interaction | âRespect is shown in different ways depending on situation, language, and power dynamicsâ |
As language educators and researchers, adopting a constructionist perspective helps us avoid overgeneralization and see our students as dynamic individuals navigating complex social worlds.
đ Language Learning as Identity Work
Nortonâs concept of investment helps here. Unlike âmotivation,â which is often individual and psychological, investment is social and ideological. A learner invests in a language because they expect it to return something valuable â access, mobility, power, inclusion.
If a student doesnât speak up in class, is it a lack of confidence â or are they protecting their identity from potential judgment?
A Vietnamese student at a UK university said:
âIn my culture, interrupting a teacher feels rude. In class, others debate, and Iâm silent. But inside, I have ideas. I just donât know when itâs my turn.â
Recognizing this helps us design more equitable, supportive classrooms.
âïž Task for Reflection or Discussion
Think of a time you spoke a second or third language. Did you feel more or less confident, expressive, or âyourselfâ?
What identities did you perform â and how were they shaped by the language, the setting, or othersâ expectations?
Alternatively:
In groups, discuss: How do language learners negotiate their identities in new linguistic and cultural environments? Use terms like âconstructionism,â âinvestment,â or âidentity shift.â
đ§ Why This Matters in Applied Linguistics
In TESOL and applied linguistics, understanding the link between language and identity helps us:
- Teach beyond grammar and accuracy
- Create inclusive classroom spaces
- Understand silence or hesitation not as deficits, but as identity protection
- Challenge policies that treat learners as âdeficientâ natives of English
If we want to empower students, we must recognize their whole linguistic selves â and understand that language learning is also identity work.
đ Want to Read More?
- Norton, B. (2013). Identity and language learning: Extending the conversation. Multilingual Matters
- Holliday et al. (2021). Intercultural communication: An advanced resource book for students. Routledge.
- Kramsch, C. (2010). The Multilingual Subject. Oxford University Press.