Introduction
It’s true that there are hundreds of languages being used around the world. It is true, too, that in every language there can be just as many dialects, each language and each dialect distinct from each other. Although some languages may share a certain resemblance with each other or may have originated from the same language, it can still be said that no two languages are exactly the same. However, despite this unique quality of languages, the writer still believes that language – or how a person speaks – is not enough of a basis to be able to tell someone who they are.
How You Speak Doesn’t Tell Me Who You Are
Yes, it’s true that a language can identify a group of people. For example, when you hear someone speak Chinese then it would be natural to assume that the person must be Chinese. When you hear someone speak Hindi then it would also be natural to assume that the person must be Indian. However, in this age of multilingualism, it isn’t only the Chinese who can speak Chinese nor is it only the Indians who can speak Hindi. In the same manner, it isn’t only the Americans nor only the British who can speak English. In this age of globalization, people migrate a lot so that a South American child might be born in the USA; and thus, grows up to learn to speak English in the same way that the Americans do. When this happens, just hearing the person speak will no longer be enough to enable another person to tell whether the former is an American or not. It will only probably be upon actually seeing the person that he or she will be identified as being a South American. In this case, although English is not the person’s first language, growing up in the U.S. ends up making English his or her first English and his or her native South American language as his or her secondary language. As another example, even when the person is not raised in the US – for example, the person moves to the US because of a job opportunity – then it’s very likely that the person will adapt the local language. Although adult English learners have less chances of adapting the accent as well, this is definitely not true 100% of the time. There are still some people who move to an English-speaking country in their adulthood and eventually learn to speak English with the accent. The same can be said about an American who moves to France. It is not entirely impossible for that American to eventually speak French in the same way that a native French does. In these instances, it will be hard to identify a person’s nationality or ethnicity merely by the way they speak.
Languages are also now widely incorporated in the academic curricula. For example, French and Spanish are usually taught in English speaking countries. On the other hand, English is often taught in non-English speaking countries. Although not true for everyone, it is possible for someone to become more proficient in their second language than in their first. In the same manner, it is possible for a non-native English speaker to be even better at English than native English speakers. As an example, a recent study conducted by GlobalEnglish Corporation (Mendoza, 2012) found the Philippines to be the best country in business English proficiency, followed by Norway, Serbia, and Slovenia in the second, third, and fourth places, respectively. It should be noted that Australia and Canada are the only native English speaking countries in the top 10 list of this study, with Australia coming in at fifth and Canada at tenth. In this case, it can’t be argued that only English-speaking countries can speak English well. As another example, call centers agents are usually from Asian countries such as India and the Philippines. They are trained to speak with an American accent such that when a customer talks to them over the phone, it would be hard for the customer to tell whether the call center agent is America or not.
Thirdly, a language can be so embedded in a country’s culture that it becomes their second language, which remains a major part of their everyday life. This resulted from the countries’ colonization by foreign countries whose influences lived on even after the respective countries have gained their independence. For example, Brazilians speak Portuguese as a result of being colonized by the Portuguese. Some Indians also speak with a British accent from being colonized by the Brits. In the same manner, countries that have been colonized by the US continue to use English as the medium for instruction and as the official language in their governments. This results in the people becoming very proficient in the English language. As another example, the prevalence of the English language comes as a result of globalization where, for example, English is the most common language used over the Internet. Most Internet websites are also available in the English language by default. Again, this leads some people to become very proficient in the English language that they can no longer be distinguished as a non-native English speaker.
Conclusion
It can then be concluded that how a person speaks is not enough of a basis to identify the person’s nationality or ethnicity. In particular, it can be difficult to distinguish English speakers from different countries as proficiency and the accent can be developed and learned. English has also become a major part of the culture of those who have been colonized by English-speaking countries, making English a part of their everyday lives. In addition, people now migrate to other countries a lot, making them adapt to their new country’s language.
With the English language being so prevalent, it makes the world seem smaller. It’s ironic and fascinating how despite having so many distinct languages, just one language can make us all seem indistinct; how so many languages can make us seem divided, yet having just one common language can make us united, too.
Works Cited
Mendoza, Shielo. “PH: World’s Best Country in Business English.” yahoo.com. Yahoo
Southeast Asia Pte Ltd., 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 30 May 2012.
