Thursday, December 13, 2012

Change of Language, Change of Personality

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201212/change-language-change-personality-part-ii


This article essentially comments on the difference multilingual individuals feel and appear to exhibit in personality between different languages. The author, Dr. Francois Grosjean, cites his previous post explaining evidence positive the claim personality changes between languages. Dr. Grosjean, however believes environment factors influence the change in personality (like culture or interlocutors) rather than the language itself. Most others in the same field sense its is, more accurately, the environmental conditions that compose the language as well as confront the bi-linguist that affect that individuals personality. This takes into consideration the challenges the speaker is facing when talking in a different language. As people we adapt to situations to get a point or meaning across. This isn't necessarily changing personality, but rather "an expression of another part of our personality" less emphasized in another language.

Being able to speak other languages myself, friends who witness me speaking in an Indian language, Marathi, to my family comment on how different I sound and appear. I would argue language to essentially be a different mode. I can see how that plays into affecting personality. I agree with the situational aspect affecting personality as well. When I most recently went to India, I noticed the difference in body language between American conversation and Indian conversation. I definitely adapted some aspects of their body language to help get my, relatively, broken speech across.

Any others multilingual or know anyone multilingual and feel or see a change in personality?

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