My name is Tanon Chaimongkol. I am a 21-year-old senior student from the faculty of humanities who majors in English and minors in sociology and anthropology. I have recently submitted my independent study in the linguistics field as a requirement for the ENGL489 course, which is the last course in this second semester of the academic year 2022. I will successfully achieve my bachelor’s degree in English soon. I am also a Thai transwoman who loves learning about language and multiculturalism.

Applying for this scholarship means that I can have the chance to demonstrate my views on language, and the potential in interdisciplinary knowledge I have gained throughout four years at Chiang Mai University. I hope this essay plays a part well in sharing experiences, perspectives, and thoughts from an English-major student who has finished various linguistic courses, such as Language and Community, Language and Gender, Sociolinguistics, and Discourse in Communication. The topic I choose is “How does language relate to who we are?”.

Culture, Gender, and Race: The Reflections of Who We Are through the Interrelation of Language and Identity

As a student who majors in English, I have always been captivated by how language connects people in the world, develops their thoughts and skills, and opens the doors of wisdom and ideology. Indeed, language does not only function as a means of communication, but also as a representation of an identity of who we are, and what we do. As the concept of identity is related to who we are, how language constructs and/or reflects identity can also reflect ourselves. In terms of identity, language represents various aspects, including culture, gender, and race and ethnicity.

Firstly, language is related to cultural identity. To explain, culture and language influence each other. People have different cultures, thus different language styles. We can say that an identity or a characteristic of a culture can be reflected in the language used in their society. I would like to discuss Thai language as an example. Indeed, one of the most dominant characteristics of the Thai language is pronoun selection. Thai language is known for its various first-person and second-person pronoun choices. For example, the pronoun ‘I’ can be chosen from any of these words: ฉัน เรา ขา กู ฮา ผม กระผม หนู พี่ ป้า แม่ พ่อ เค้า etc. A second-person pronoun can also be picked from these words: คุณ ทาน เธอ เจา เอ็ง มึง ลุง น้า แก ตัวเอง หมอ etc. As Thai language is a high-context language, this interesting aspect reflects that Thai society highly values the concept of กาลเทศะ (appropriateness of time and place). To illustrate, Thai people are usually highly aware of their surroundings, such as the status of people they talk to, the formality of the place, and levels of familiarity, in certain situations when they communicate. This identity of Thai people can be reflected through language use. As a result of being used to analyzing and choosing language registers in different situations and contexts, Thai people are flexible in adjusting themselves as an individual in communities with diversity.

Moreover, language can be related to gender identity or sexual orientation. As the LGBTQ+ community has shown their pride and unity throughout our society with their perspectives and lifestyles in diversity, they are an example of how language can reflect gender identity. Nowadays, some people might relate LGBTQ+ jargon and slang to entertainment or pop culture. However, the use of jargon and slang among LGBTQ+ people has a deeper reflection on their history and the acceptance of society. To explain, LGBTQ+ people were not much accepted in the past, and were often discriminated against. When someone was gay or lesbian, they could not be fully themselves as they would get bullied and discriminated against. As they were forced to follow heteronormative norms, they could find happiness and acceptance in communicating with people who are like them. Slang and jargon were used to communicate among people in the community to express themselves without outsiders, straight people, knowing the meanings. The development of slang and jargon in the LGBTQ+ community is interesting as they include the portrayal of different gender identities, sexual orientations, cultures of sub-communities, acceptance, and diversity. In one of the courses I enrolled in, Language and Gender, we studied and discussed the language use among LGBTQ+ and their characteristics. It is interesting to study how different genders use language, and how that reflects their identity. In recent days, slang and jargon are widely known and used by more and more people and organizations, including straight people and the media. This shows how the identity of LGBTQ+ people is much more accepted and valued. We can see how important language is for representing and constructing gender identities as it can tell a story of who we are, or who we choose to be.

Lastly, race and ethnicity are an identity that can be reflected by language use and language structure. To explain, language can represent certain values, beliefs, philosophies, legacies, and social movements of a particular race or ethnicity. In this sense, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) can be an example of how language is related to the identity of race. In sociolinguistics, African American Vernacular English is a variety of English spoken among Black people in the United States of America. Like other varieties of language, AAVE has certain linguistic and grammatical rules. It has represented the identity of Black people for many years. Some linguists explain that AAVE has evolved from the language used among Black people in the era when they were slaves. People with a discriminatory mindset might view this language as “ungrammatical” or “not proper” as it is not “standard” English. Little do they know that every language or dialect is accurate in its rules, with its own phonological, morphological, semantic, pragmatical, or grammatical structure. When we know its origin and development, we can learn about Black people’s experiences, struggles, heritage, and social movements. AAVE can reflect the resistance against discrimination and the freedom and pride of Black people in representing their identity. As multiculturalism and cultural diversity are dominant is the present days, AAVE has been furthered studied, understood, and spread through media as one of the identities of Black people in The United States of America.

In conclusion, language is inseparable from identities, such as culture, gender, and race, and is crucial to understanding who we are. As language evolves with society, our responsibility as an individual in our community is to be open and understanding about language and diversity in people. Indeed, language is, and always will be, related to who we are, who we choose to be, what we do, and how we place ourselves in society as world citizens.