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How Language influences our personality

George Steven Alvarez Jaramillo

C.C. 1.113.664.094

THE EMBASSY

EDUCATIONAL CENTER

ENGLISH COURSE

PALMIRA

2021

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 How Language influences our personality

GEORGE STEVEN ALVAREZ JARAMILLO

C.C. 1.113.664.094

THESIS WORK TO OPT FOR THE ENGLISH CERTIFICATION

INSTRUCTOR:

HUGO ARMANDO MINOTTA

THESIS DIRECTOR

THE EMBASSY

EDUCATIONAL CENTER

ENGLISH COURSE

PALMIRA

2021

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 INTRODUCTION

this topic has been studied by linguists around the world, despite this, that topic

currently apparently do not have a specific answer, in other words, exists many

theories, but do not have an any certainty. In 1940, a prominent theorist named

Benjamin Lee Whorf stated that language determines the appearance of things, for

example, in Arizona there is an indigenous culture called Hopi, located in northeast

Arizona, they have a specific language and the way they see things is different

from English speakers because of differences in their language.

This has allowed foreign language teachers to identify that when they speak in

languages other than their native one, their personality can be affected.

for instance, some language teachers who are fluent in several languages remark

their experience when they speak in German, they felt more rational and they try to

organize their ideas, their thoughts and their feelings. on the other hand, when

some of them speak in Spanish and it is not their natural language, that person felt

like a different person, feel more relaxed and easy going.

Therefore, this study analyzes the different thoughts and positions on this subject

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 JUSTIFICATION

This research is important because it collects the most important arguments of the

experts and will relate to the different experiences of people who speak more than

one language

and I will check, if it is possible that our personality changes according to the

language in which we speak.

Consequently, this working paper will help people understand the influence that

language has on our personality.

OBJECTIVES

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

 Analyze the different points of view of the experts and consult with people

who speak more than one language and who have traveled to another

country.

ESPECIFIC OBJETIVE

 Identify the most important theories of the linguistic relativism.

 to study whether culture, traditions, lifestyle determine the way of thinking

and the way of speaking.

 Establish whether a person's personality is likely to change with respect to

the language in which they communicate.

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Table of content

1. The hypothesis of linguistic relativism............................................................................7

1.1 Whorf Hypothesis...................................................................................................................8

1.2. conclusion of theory of Whorf..........................................................................................10

2. Personality in individualist and collectivist cultures..............................................11

2.1. Genetics and history...........................................................................................................14

2.2. Importance of personality traits.......................................................................................15

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 1. The hypothesis of linguistic relativism

Linguistic relativism, also known as the "Sapir and Whorf Hypothesis," holds that

speaking a particular language makes us think in a certain way. for support, this

paper, quotes the esteemed Alberto Escalera Narvaez (2012) in his master's thesis

entitled Linguistic relativism, ontological relativism, in this work, the writer

enunciates that theory born in America by Franz Boas, who in United States

stated, he studied natives languages of America related with varied families

American linguistic, different regarding Semitic languages and Indo- European

languages, for this study, Franz Boas experienced cultural and linguistic diversity,

concluding that there was a causal connection between one and the other. Then,

Edward Sapir, Boas' disciple, appears, and he continues his mentor's work,

nevertheless, the language could interact with the speaker's thought or behavior,

subsequently, Benjamin Lee Whorf, studied Hopi, a Native American language

spoken in northeastern Arizona. Based on his studies, Whorf claimed that

speakers of Hopi and speakers of English see the world differently because of

differences in their language (p.62).

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1.1 Whorf Hypothesis

For the proponent of this theory aspects of the Hopi language are an example of

how certain languages produce different forms of organization of experience. This

is why, by possessing a language, it allows us to see reality in a certain way.

In other words, this theory is related to how we can see reality, the main idea of

this theory is that two different languages propose a different vision of reality,

consequently, if a person speaks different languages, he/she will be able to see

reality in a different way.

In order to clarify the scenario, the following example is quoted:

The Eskimos in their natural language have many ways of referring to the color

white and for them those shades of white are very different, like for us a green and

a yellow.

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Similarly, Amazonian natives of the rainforest have many ways of expressing the

color green. therefore, their view of the color green is so different from the one we

have.

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The previous examples were simple, because this topic is more complicated to

understand reality, in that sense, language determines the way to understand

reality without language, without language, without the ability to speak, our way to

understand reality would be very different.

1.2. conclusion of theory of Whorf

In the publication by Alberto Narvaez (2012) Relativismo lingüístico, relativismo

ontológico, below you can see the following quote by Whorf:

"We dissect nature following lines that are indicated to us by our native languages"

In other words, each speaker in your community needs to adapt to the organization

and classification of information that the community determines. If the speaker

does not follow this rule, your communication would be impossible.

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Whorf, identified for modern science, with regard to the fact that no person is

absolutely free to describe nature with absolute impartiality, but is bound by the

aforementioned agreement to use a specific modes of interpretation, however, the

speaker feel in absolute freedom when speak, but he is not aware about the

limitations imposed for society.

As a consequence of the above, Whorf concludes that we are leading,

irremediably, to a linguistic relativism.

In Whorf's words on linguistic relativism, all observers of linguistic relativism are not

led by the same physical evidence to the same picture of the universe unless the

linguistic experience is similar.

2. Personality in individualist and collectivist cultures

To obtain a concrete answer on this subject is complicated, it is like the chicken

and the egg, so the problem goes beyond language and thought. for other authors,

custom is a determining factor in the way of speaking and thinking of a society.

In that sente authors like Triandis and Suh, indicate that, the culture in which you

live is one of the most important environmental factors that shapes your

personality, in that way, these authors

Culture refers to all the beliefs, customs, arts and traditions of a particular society.

Culture is transmitted to people through language and by modeling culturally

acceptable and unacceptable behaviors that are rewarded or punished.

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With this in mind, personality psychologists became interested in the role of culture

in understanding personality. You wonder if personality traits are the same in all

cultures or if there are differences. It seems that there are universal and culture-

specific aspects that explain the different personalities of people.

There is indeed evidence that the strength of personality traits varies across

cultures.

Thus, Asian cultures are more collectivistic and people from these cultures tend to

be introverted.

People from Central and South American cultures tend to lead new experiences,

while Europeans score higher in emotional instability. The above stated by Benet-

Martinez & Karakitapoglu-Aygun, in the year 2013.

In the same vein, an interesting report from BBC news, which raises the question

of whether countries have personalities or are just stereotypes. Stereotypes are

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easier to make, for example, it is believed that an Englishman is introverted, an

American is shameless and a Japanese is hardworking.

However, there are international studies that have analyzed cultural differences

with respect to personality, among them, they report that the most extroverted

countries are the Brazilians, the French Swiss, the Maltese, while the least

sociable were the Nigerians, Moroccans and Indonesians, on the other hand,

Swiss Germans, Germans and Danes are said to be more open, while Hong Kong

Chinese, Northern Irish and Kuwaitis are said to be more closed in their ways.

Among other things, David Schmitt, from Bradley University in the USA, also

conducted a study, in which he concluded that the most neurotic countries are

Japan and Argentina, while the least neurotic are the Republic of Congo and

Slovenia. On the other hand, Jordanians and Congolese scored the highest in

friendliness, while Japanese and Lithuanians scored the lowest.

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But the differences between nations do not correspond to the stereotypes we often

have, according to studies, one of the most complete was done by Robert McCrae

in 2005. Antonio Terracciano, in the same vein, came to the same conclusion: the

typical personality of a country does not correspond to its real profile.

2.1. Genetics and history

Therefore, it can be understood that personality changes involve more than just

language, other possible factors affecting personality were discussed above,

however, the above theory on the stereotyping of countries' personality, is not

certain, therefore, the same BBC newspaper reported that the reason is probably

partly genetic, related to the historical pattern of migration.

who have traits related to risk-taking and greater open-mindedness are often prone

to emigrate, among other things, an isolated population is more likely to be more

introverted and closed through the generations.

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Andrea Ciani, from the University of Padua, conducted a study in which he

identified that islanders are less sociable, but more responsible and more

emotionally stable. This is because the most daring citizens decided to emigrate

and leave the islands.

On the other hand, experts have also speculated on how climatic differences may

define personality and emotional stability.

2.2. Importance of personality traits

Personality traits are important in our daily lives and influence such things as

professional success and wellbeing. Can also contribute to international

differences such as health, happiness, corruption, innovation or wealth.

For example, in more neurotic countries, citizens tend to be more prone to physical

and mental illness. Likewise, Personality differences also affect the emergence of

new political systems.

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Last year, Joan Barceló conducted a study at Washington University in St. Louis,

USA, and found that countries where people are more open tend to have more

democratic institutions.

These findings on international personality differences may be one more reason to

question our beliefs about other countries.

In other words, your perceptions of other cultures may say more about you and

your own society than about the set of personalities that actually exist around the

world.

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 CONCLUTIONES

RECOMMENDATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Escalera Narváez, Alberto (2012) Relativismo lingüístico, relativismo ontológico

Nóesis. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, vol. 21, núm. 42, 2012, pp.

61-85 Instituto de Ciencias Sociales y Administración Ciudad Juárez, México.

Recuperado de https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/859/85924629004.pdf

https://www.bbc.com/mundo/vert-fut-39699791

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