COMMUNICATING IDENTITY THROUGH LANGUAGE
COMMUNICATING IDENTITY THROUGH LANGUAGE

Summary/Abstract: Language and identity are the most important parts of social interaction, which have become undoubtedly fused. While language in itself is reflective of identity, the true constraints that identity imposes on language usage come from within, not from without. Even if many people say that the environment plays a heavy role in the determination of language usage and in the development of personal or group identity, these constraints have been consciously chosen to be shouldered. Even in cases of coercion by pressure for group conformity, the burden again falls on the individual (as group membership in most cases may be changed), not on the environment. Goffman’s ideas regarding identity, namely, the self in social life will be used as support for this paper.

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