Negotiation of identity?

How do we negotiate our identity, or identities, when learning and speaking another language?

Is identity fixed or does it develop and change in a process of continuous negotiation?

How do we perceive ourselves when dealing with different worlds? And how do these worlds perceive us?

Is it necessary to negotiate our identity in order to learn another language, or rather to really “feel” it, instead of simply putting the new words together in shallow sentences? Are we ready to accommodate our identity?

Is the classroom a place where it is possible to reach the stage of negotiation of identity with the new culture and language or not?

Which kind of activities may we suggest to learners, in order to encourage them reflecting on the process of negotiation taking place within themselves? And what if they are not willing to negotiate?

I believe that being ready to negotiate ourselves is very enriching and makes us glimpse new perspectives in life, broaden our perceptions and multiply our viewpoints. Negotiation of identities is not only related to culture and the way we deal with it. It is related to language itself. How do we perceive ourselves when speaking a different language? Our voice changes, and so does the way we shape our thoughts.

As concerns myself and my experience with foreign languages, when I look back, I deeply realize what negotiation of identity means and I clearly see the opportunity to entering several individualities. I perceive myself differently when speaking another language, and I am not talking about an artificial Paola, it is rather another aspect of me, which I, myself, discovered through the contact with the new language and culture. Besides, my life experiences in other countries of which I could speak the language made me widen my perspective and consider my “culture” from several points of view.

I believe that negotiation of identity and the openness to it have a strong link with motivation towards the language in object, especially on an emotional plan. I notice that I can speak the same foreign language well and smoothly in some occasions or periods of my life and then be almost unable to utter a correct sentence in others.

When I happen to wonder about how my life would have been and how I would have seen the world around me, and even myself, if I hadn’t studied Arabic, I am sure it would have been very different from now. Speaking Arabic and living in some Arab countries made me a different person. The process was not easy and smooth. I had several moments of “crisis” and rejection. It was a very deep process which I do not think can happen in a classroom.

Besides, I noticed different “levels” in my learning process: from studying the classical language at university to being able to really speak the daily language and communicating with people. Only the latter gave me the exciting feeling that I was a fluent Arabic speaker. Before that, every time I tried to express myself, in Arabic the person would answer in another language, such as English or French.

With regard to my experience with English, I believe that it is significant to highlight the importance of motivation and emotions in language learning. I studied English for a short while when I was a child and I really enjoyed it because I liked the idea of speaking another language. When I went to middle school, I decided to study French since I wanted to learn a new language.

Later on, at university, where my major was Arabic, I decided to study English as well, but this time my decision was dictated by the awareness of the necessity of speaking English because of its “power” and presence all around the world. Therefore, I started not to like it and I was not able to speak English until I lived and worked in Cardiff for six months. Words just wouldn’t come out of my mouth before that. Then, since my six months in Cardiff were very interesting and enjoyable and I found people very welcoming and open, I started to enjoy the contact with English language and its sound. On the contrary, since I am in London my level of English worsened, both because of the lack of opportunities to speak it (especially with native speakers) and of my perception of London as a not very welcomingcity.

by P. Casola (Italian and Arabic teacher)