Language and Personality
People who are bicultural and speak two languages may unconsciously change their personality when they switch languages, according to a recent study. Language is seen as a cue that activates different culture-specific frames. Those who are bicultural switched their personality more quickly and easily than people who are bilingual but living in one culture.
I guess this can explain these symptoms:
- If you are Indonesian, you speak English and Indonesian. You are less likely to litter in the shiny Orchard Road side walk. Of course, you will switch back to your Indo personality when you go to Jakarta, the whole city is one big giant trash can.
- If you are a Filipino, you speak Tagalog and English. While in your English speaking personality, you will make an utmost effort to be on time for lunch appointment with your colleagues in San Fransisco downtown. When you are in your own environment, when anybody says “Please wait five minutes” you will be interpreted that as “You are a fool if you believe me - you are lucky to get out of here in the next 30 minutes”.
If you have any other dual-personality syndrome relating to culture and language, please drop a line in the comment box.
4 Responses to 'Language and Personality'
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Interesting! Here in Malaysia, we have this thing called “Malaysian punctuality” no matter what language one speaks. The norm is to arrive late for a wedding dinner. Ask any Malaysian.
You can also read happysurfer’s blog post: Love You!
happysurfer
22 Jul 08 at 11:28 am
I don’t know, I personally don’t switch on/off like that. I queued when I was still a student in uni in Indonesia, and I queue when in Australia or UK, and I still queue here when I’m on holiday in Jakarta - and when someone cut me off I snapped at him.
I also have to be punctual, even for Sunday brunch, my hubbie and his friends are very unforgiving when I turn up late. Last wedding in Singapore the invite said cocktail 5.30 - 7.00 and we arrived 6.10 and got a hard time from everybody, who had been there since 5.15!
So imagine how horrified I was when my parents’ driver, after receiving the toll receipt, rolled down the car window and just throw (!!!) it out. I literally made the longest speech ever, explaining to him the usage of trash bin and why he shouldn’t throw the ticket away to the street (his answer? everybody does it, and there’s someone who is paid to sweep the road anyway. Aaarghh).
You can also read Finally Woken’s blog post: Wrong! It’s Hard To Say I’m Sorry
Finally Woken
22 Jul 08 at 4:11 pm
Hey Andie, what about those people who are a different personality on their blogs compared to real life?
You can also read Giddy Tigress’s blog post: The inevitable call or not?
Giddy Tigress
23 Jul 08 at 3:11 pm
HappySurfer,
I really dislike that. Being late on people’s wedding. On my wedding, I was really scared that everybody would turn up late and that my make up would get ruined before they even got there. Luckily, they were not too late.
But seriously, that was the most unconsiderate thing anybody could do.
FinallyWoken,
He chooses to use taxpayer money to pay street cleaner than to provide basic health care for the people. Not the smartest guy, huh.
GiddyTigress,
That is a great point! I have not thought of that.
I guess in blogs, there are two type of people.
One who is trying to be a better version of themselves. The other is the type who withstand themselves to say or do things they would not do offline.
Andie
23 Jul 08 at 3:29 pm