Phrasebook

Changing language = Changing personality

Our language belongs to us. It's an important part of our personality. But many people speak multiple languages. Does that mean they have multiple personalities? Researchers believe: yes! When we change languages, we also change our personality. That is to say, we behave differently. American scientists have come to this conclusion. They studied the behavior of bi-lingual women. These women grew up with English and Spanish. They were equally familiar with both languages and cultures. Despite this, their behavior was dependent on the language. When they spoke Spanish the women were more confident. They were also comfortable when people around them were speaking Spanish. Then, when they spoke English, their behavior changed. They were less confident and often unsure of themselves. The researchers noticed that the women also appeared more solitary. So the language we speak influences our behavior. Researchers don't yet know why this is so. Perhaps we are guided by cultural norms. When speaking, we think about the culture from which the language comes. This is done automatically. Therefore, we try to adapt to the culture. We behave in a way that is customary for that culture. Chinese speakers were very reserved in experiments. Then when they spoke English, they were more open. Perhaps we change our behavior in order to integrate better. We want to be like those, with whom we're speaking…