Self & Identity: The Basics

This chapter focuses on the influence of language on one’s self-concept and identity. The first section explains how the language one speaks intersects with other social identities, while also serving as a key identity in and of itself. The second section considers how accents guide interpersonal perceptions and can serve as a basis for discrimination. The final sections give an overview of the role language plays in group processes, with a particular emphasis on how language is used to manage group boundaries