Identity and Culture

Identity can be defined as a distinctive characteristic given to any individual. It also relates on how you see yourself (self-imagination), your self-esteem, and individuality. Consequently, Weinrench gives the definition “A person’s identity is defined as the totality of ones self-construal in which how one constructs oneself in the present, expresses the continuity between how oneself as one was in the past and how one constructs oneself as one aspires to be in the future”.(Weinrench 1986a)
According to Makubalo ,(2007) he argues that in this view; every time language learners speak they are not only exchanging information with their interlocutors; they are also constantly organizing and reorganizing a sense of who they are and how they relate to the social world. They are in other words engaged in the identity construction and negotiation.
When considering an individual’s identity within the social context, several factors are to be considered and carefully inspected resulting in clearly defined positions. The subject of language and its relationship to identity however results in extensive debate with individuals maintaining two different positions. The two fundamental schools of thought argue either for or against the premise that individuals lose touch with their identity when they use a second language. This essay will attempt to strengthen the position against the premise in a methodical and logical fashion.
Ngugi (1986) argues that language and identity are inseparable, and that a global language robs people of their identities. I however believe that language does in a way guide how we perceive the world but it in no means defines who we are. Identity as explained by Gervais-Lambony (2006) develops over time and is shaped from our social experiences. Identity is not fixed and can change over time to how we want people to perceive us. In this discussion I shall argue against Ngugi’s statement by drawing from readings that oppose what Ngugi says.