“Language shapes thoughts and emotions, determining one’s perception of reality.” Benjamin whorf

Since the day the United States won its independence, American intellectuals have tried to define the new identity. When we talk about American social identity these elements and names come to mind:

Religion

Idiom

Democracy

Pragmatism

Nationalism

Crucible, apple pie, hollowed out and …

I chose the language that I believe is a key factor in the development of social identity in all cultures.
On the subject, these types of questions come to mind.

What is social identity? What is the role of language in the development of social identity? So first of all, we will define identity and language.

“Identity is a general term used throughout the social sciences to describe an individual’s understanding of himself as a separate and discrete entity. The notion of social identity is defined as the way in which individuals label themselves to themselves as members of particular groups (eg, nation, social class, subculture, ethnicity, gender, etc.) “. Social identity is something like personality and individual identity.

“A language is a system of visual, auditory or tactile communication symbols and the rules that are used to manipulate them.” It is a means of communication between people. Language is not only a vehicle for the expression of thoughts, perceptions, feelings and emotions, and characteristics of values ​​of a community; it also represents a basic expression of social identity. Language is an important element that influences the cultural and intellectual aspects of human life. Not only does language create various communications between people, but it also establishes a bilateral relationship between different groups and societies. Facts and realities are expressed in words and phrases. Politicians affirm their skills and their policies through language and words. Today, as the role of the media has become very crucial, we can learn about the importance of language. So, we can say that the ideology, religious concepts and literature of the individual are indebted to the language and, in reality, all of them shape the social identity of a nation.

In some countries like the United States, as a result of the large number of nations within geographic borders, there are many languages. “About 82% of the population speaks English as a native language. The variety of English spoken in the United States is known as American English; together with Canadian English, it forms the group of dialects known as North American English. 96% of the population of the United States speak English well.

Spanish is the second most common language in the country, spoken by almost 30 million people ”. Therefore, these two languages ​​had the most effect on American social identity, English as the language of Native Americans and Spanish as the language of immigrants.

“English is a dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy. The influence of the British Empire is the main reason for the initial spread of the language far beyond the British Isles. Since WWII Worldwide, the The growing economic and cultural influence of the United States has significantly accelerated the adoption of English. ” English gives Americans a feeling of superiority and self-confidence. If we look back to the past, English has been the language of the most powerful empire that is the British Empire and now English is the language of the most powerful country that is the United States. In fact, power and English are inseparable. With regard to these matters, Americans deserve themselves as a superpower and an exceptional nation.

The Spanish language is the second most common language after English. The Spanish language has been spoken in North America since the 16th century. “The Spanish-speaking population of the United States has historically increased due to territorial expansion due to wars and land purchases. Modern factors continue to increase the Spanish-speaking population. The influx of large numbers of Spanish-speaking immigrants to the United States has increased the number of Spanish speakers nationwide, making them majorities or large minorities in many districts. “

There are many other languages ​​in the US that belong to different cultures and these languages, like some other factors, are responsible for the American salad bowl.

As mentioned above, language is one of the most significant elements of social identity that gives a feeling of dependence or independence, superiority or inferiority, and power or weakness. It even influences our personal identity as part of our social identity. You can specify your social level and your position. More about language conveys the entire history of a nation and maintains the identity of a nation.