Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 584

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (ICORSH 2020)

Language as National Identity

Habib Cahyono*, Samsu Bahri, Agus Salim, Eka Nurul Mualimah, Rian Fauzi,
Jaka Tirta Bayu, Sri Purwanti, Eka

STKIP Setiabudhi, Banten, Indonesia

*Corresponding author email: hcnrks@gmail.com

ABSTRACT. Language is a system in the form of sound symbols or symbols used by community members to convey an idea,
message, opinion, and feeling to others verbally (oral language) and in writing (written language). As a means of thinking and
at the same time forming the thoughts of its speakers, it is an identity that is very close to its owner compared to other identities.
Language is one of the symbols of the identity of these communities. It is one of the most critical markers among community
markers because language is a place for change (evolution) and a picture of the situation that occurred, both past and present.
As close as language is to its owner, language has a psychological value to its speakers, which is binding in self-esteem and
the pride of groups and individuals. Also, language is often seen as the main property.
Keywords: Language and Nation.

1. INTRODUCTION 2. DEFINITION AND

Language is the means by which an idea may be EXPLANATIONS
communicated to another, either verbally or in At first, the writer will present some definitions
writing. There are several dialects of english, ranging and explanations to describe the relationships among
from minor to major changes in pronunciation and languages and identities.
grammar. It is the modes of communicating and 2.1 Languages and language varieties.
understanding the many social roles that individuals They communicate with each other by using the
possess. Social identities are manifestations of an same language and language varieties in their
individual's affiliation with a particular social community. The community might be in large
community. It is referred to as Sociolect. The amount, small or might just two-person, for example,
distinction between individuals is referred to as communication between a husband and his wife,
personal identification. mother, and her daughter and many others. They use
For instance, a professional class such as an a unique expression or 'private' language, where only
instructor, nurse, or police officer. There are several they know the meaning of some words although they
distinct expressions or phrases that may serve as their communicate in the national language. They
identifier. Their personality can be shown by their understand the allusions or " private language used in
words, and they will communicate differently their communication.
depending on the identity is prevalent in a certain
circumstance. 2.2 Four Principles of Language
Languages are learned spontaneously and The smallest group's'secret' language and the
systematically, and both natural and structured national group's 'public' language are two 'varieties' of
education contribute to the formation, strengthening, the same language. Any group, big or small, has its
or weakening of connections between languages and own language diversity, such as regional populations
identities. Between "National language" and utilizing the national language in a variety of ways;
"National identity" is a vital language and identity these are often referred to as "dialects." Although
link. This connection can be established, reinforced, there are overlaps between the various types, it is a
or weakened through formal education in schools, national advantage. [1] Language is governed by four
particularly in "Language as Subject," and a (four) fundamental principles: (1) Language is not
'Framework-Handbook for Language(s) of only a means to an end, but also a source of value.
Education' will need to address this problem. The Language is used to conceptualize, shape, and
object of this essay is to discuss (at least some of) the communicate any important human action. The
key points. mother language records and critically remains the
entirety of human life. Ferdinand de Saussure, the
father of Modern Linguistics, said the following:
"The human mind and language are comparable to the

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two sides of a sheet of paper ( one does not exist Speaking the "true" variety makes the individual an "
without the other). Elytis, the Greek poet who won insider," which means she is a group member. Not
the Nobel Award, stated: "There would be no issue if doing so identifies the individual as an outsider, or he
language were simply a medium of communication. or she is not a group member. He or she is not one of
We do, nonetheless, recognize. However, it serves as us because he or she does not speak our language.
a platform for moral principles and an ethos that 3.3 They acquire the (spoken) language
generates obligations. (2) Language is not only a variety of a group naturally.
means of conveying what we hear or learn, but also Children inevitably learn the family's language
of activating the linguistic memory and processes that variety by frequent contact with other family members
biologically define man. In other terms, language is such as parent, mother, brothers, and sisters, etc. They
not a mechanical and automated method, but an acquired the group's or community's language variety
imaginative and laborious pursuit of perfection. (3) by contact with other members of their group. Their
The output of their language variation templates is language diversity might have been different as a
directly related to the quality of their language. result of contact with those in their culture. The
Assume that our linguistic hearings and readings diversity of languages used will foster a feeling of
serve as the foundation for our vocabulary. In this belonging to an in-group. When one of the family
situation, qualitative linguistic hearings and readings members (a child) talks an entirely different language
(texts with sophisticated language, form, and than the rest of the family (not only a new variation of
expression) serve as the linguistic templates that form the same language), the distinction is obvious, and
our linguistic understanding and feelings. (4) they claim to be a member of a particular group. This
Language is a matter of national interest and meaning. trend of learning new language variants or entirely
We will not require several reasons to persuade new languages will continue over one's existence as
citizens that a nation's language is a necessary individuals join separate communities within the same
component of its life. [2] A nation's culture may be community or relocate to another.
deduced, forged, and given value by the literary
works of the greatest intellects. Thus, language
becomes a critical component of a nation's culture. 4. THE EDUCATIONAL
Furthermore, efforts aimed at distracting or alienating INSTITUTION'S RESPONSIBILITY
people from linguistic history, from what came before 4.1 Educational Institutions teach (spoken
the contemporary type of a language, result in and written) language formally:
significant declines of people's consciousness. They spontaneously and inexorably absorb
spoken language, while written language must be
3. LANGUAGE IS AN IDENTITY taught formally in educational institutions (school).
3.1 Social identities. Often, the government establishes them, while private
They are members of a community such as fans of institutions teach a combination of spoken and written
an antique car, an association of merchants, a unity of languages. The 'official' language is learned, while
cultural practitioners, soldiers, teachers, and others. students (children) learn to read and write the national
Many specific phrases show their identity, for language's language. Additionally, they are directed
example: and often motivated to communicate and write in the
a. I fall in love with Peugeot 45. It is sure to be formal or national language.
expressed by a fan of an antique car. The name of the national language is sometimes
b. The curriculum of vocational school must be associated with the name of the state. For instance,
based on a link and match principle. the country is Indonesia, and Indonesian is the
It is a vocational school teachers' expression. The national language. The country is French—the
other communities will not be interested in it or do national language of France—but this is not
not understand what the speaker said. [3] necessarily the case; for example, the country is
3.2 More than one social and language America—the national language is English.
Learning the structured language (national
identity. languages) entails immediately acquiring knowledge
Someone belongs to more than one group. of a country and its culture. The school program is
Consequently, we must be able to communicate in the critical in developing many of the subjects taught to
language varieties of each group. For example, Nisa pupils.
is a junior high school student in her town, a music
club member, a member of the nature lover club.

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4.2 Language as the National Identity and 4.3 Why the language lesson is listed in the
How to implant it curriculum?
Language lessons must be held in the government Through the language lesson, the children are
education institution or private. The students learn the taught how to read, write, listen and speak (four
national and regional languages. It aims to educate language skills) well and effectively. It is also used
them to master and develop their language, and the for learning other subjects. This is a constant
most important is to keep it is sustainable. By learning reinforcement of the link between national language
the language, they learn the culture of the nation and national identity. Language ability will help them
automatically. Their nation's sense of belonging the learn the other subjects, such as the students will learn
nation or certain ethnics create entirely. They usually Religion, History, fluently by having it. They learn
learn a national language at school and the regional the language of history or biology, thus beginning the
language in the society or both.[4] identification process through these subjects'
There are several consequences: specialized language. They may identify strongly,
This indicates that when children study a topic weakly, or not with these subjects and learn the
such as language, they are often learning the language language accordingly. The problem is that, as with
that they and others would use to associate with the other language varieties of 'the same' language,
nation's social community. For instance, during the people only notice the extraordinary variety when
Youth Congress on October 28, 1928, there are three someone deviates from it.
crucial points, namely Indonesian is the national 4.4 Learning a foreign language and
language, Indonesian is the official language, and national identity
Indonesia is the province. [4] The declarations above Some countries' fears about the loss of national
reflect the primary goal of establishing and identity caused by learning foreign languages,
maintaining the nation's stability and dignity especially English (it is little if any), there is no
(Indonesia). Prior to it (Youth Congress), there were research evidence to justify this fear. Nevertheless,
several ethnic-based freedom movement groups, the fears are voiced by countries such as East Asian
including Yong Celebes (Ethnics of Sumatra Island), countries (Taiwan there is said to be ‘English fever’ –
Yong Java (Ethnics of Java Island), and Yong Ambon or Korea or China). There is not enough scientific
(Ethnics of Sulawesi Island). Nonetheless, after it evidence too. Nevertheless, it does not mean the
(Youth Congress), they became less concerned with government or policymakers could ignore them.
racial classes and more concerned with national Learn the story below!
concerns. (independence of Indonesia ) Hearing myself say French, I realized I was no
b. In language schools, children learn to read and longer the guy who had stayed in Portugal for eleven
write their native or ethnic language and are allowed, months. I was not the one who spoke. I possessed this
though not required, to say it while they write. French language, which was ingrained in (lit.
Additionally, in some situations, children are inscribed in) me, but I was not saying. Thus, I spent
prompted or compelled to forget the diversity of approximately two weeks re-teaching myself the
languages they use at home and/or with other social French language that had escaped me, albeit in a
classes, for example, the dialect' they use in their different way. For two weeks, I felt weird simply
native language, implying that they must abandon all because I was using the vocabulary and deriving
other identities in favour of the national identity. In values from it.
the other side, they might be encouraged to become I believe that you must go through that experience
'bilingual,' capable of writing and communicating in in order to comprehend it. There is no possibility of
both native and foreign languages. This ensures they moving from one language to another. I reasoned,...
are encouraged to maintain both ethnic and national the courses I had taken in school had left me with the
identities. Foreign and regional languages will retain idea that it is a language that one could decipher.
their power. As we translate a quote into national However, this is not the case.
languages, often words are difficult to classify since The writer concludes from the narrative that the
they are inspired by the speaker's or writer's encounter taught her many lessons regarding
community. When children's mother tongue is a language and identity, including:
completely foreign language, these same systems a. That her French identity is inextricably linked to
become exponentially more complex to manage when the French language she learned as a child.
they are taught to 'forget' their native tongue. b. That her French identity had shifted significantly
after her Portuguese training and self-teaching of

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the French language. Available:

c. Because another identification has developed as https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1
a result of her usage of Portuguese; this is not a 002/9780470996522. [Accessed: 13-Apr-
'Portuguese' identity in the traditional context, 2020].
but a 'interlanguage' identity that is contingent on [3] M. Byram, Intergovernmental Conference
her degree of proficiency in Portuguese. Languages of Schooling towards a
d. The classroom language instruction had been Framework for Europe. The United Kingdom,
very different, causing her the mistaken belief 2006.
that a foreign language is just an encoding of the [4] I. Chakraborty, “Language, Identity &
learners' native tongue. Power,” 2016. [Online]. Available:
e. Foreign language is merely an encoding of the https://medium.com/@ira.ch/language-
learner's native tongue. identity-power-a9a37aa3e556. [Accessed: 13-
f. We should conclude that classroom-based Apr-2020].
foreign language instruction has little chance of [5] Mustakim, “Bahasa sebagai Jati Diri Bangsa,”
impacting learners' identities because the Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan
teaching process conveys the idea that the Bahasa. Kementerian Pendidikan dan
foreign language is just an encoding of the native Kebudayaan, 2012. [Online]. Available:
language. Before further information regarding http://badanbahasa.kemdikbud.go.id/lamanba
various approaches becomes available - for hasa/artikel/bahasa-sebagai-jati-diri-bangsa-
example, about Content and Language Integrated 0. [Accessed: 13-Apr-2020].
Training, in which a foreign language is used as
the tool of instruction across the curriculum - no
general conclusions about the interaction
between foreign language learning/teaching and
the impact on social identities can be taken.

5. CONCLUSION AND
OPPORTUNITIES
As has pointed out at the beginning, someone will
create and get new ones such as acquire new identities
and new languages or language varieties throughout
life; it is a dynamic process. They will always do the
change consciously or deliberately, shifting from one
language, variety to another within the same
conversation, thereby signaling a change from one
identity to another. Young people are adept at this as
they move from one social situation to another. It is
an enrichment and achievement by having two
languages ( bilingual) or more (plurilingual).
Plurilingualism is the ability to use more than one
language for communication.
A person can participate in many kinds of social
interaction, where he will be viewed as a social agent,
has the proficiency of varying degrees in several
languages, and connoisseurs with a wealth of
experience.

REFERENCES
[1] M. M. Shahrebabaki, “Language and identity:
A critique,” J. Narrat. Lang. Stud., vol. 6, no.
11, pp. 217–226, 2018.
[2] Alessandro Duranti, “A Companion to
Linguistic Anthropology,” 2005. [Online].

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