Introduce ourselves:
Hi my name is Karen Jackson and I am a speech pathology major
Hi I am Danielle Demicco and I am a nursing major!
Hi I am Nya Williams and I am a Psychology major.
Hi I am Madi Djabbarova and I am a nursing major!

Podcast Intro (Karen):
Language is more than just a tool for communication, it is a reflection of who we are, where we come from, and how we relate to the world. When we speak, we are not just conveying information; we are expressing our cultural background, social relationships, and personal identity.
Karen:
In exploring how language shapes identity, I drew from my own experiences and interviews conducted in Mini Ethnographic Project 2. Through this exploration, it became clear that the words we choose, the dialects or accents we carry, and the ways we communicate all contribute to shaping how others perceive us and how we perceive ourselves.
From my interview experiences, I have noticed that both Natalie and Tako’s language changes depending on the context and the audience. `
For example:
At home with family, they tend to use expressions, slang, or cultural references that connect them to their heritage.
At school or with friends, their language shifts to include more standardized English or popular slang to fit in and communicate effectively.
These shifts demonstrate that language is flexible. Speaking in one way may highlight their cultural roots, while another form of speech may emphasize their social identity within a peer group.
During the ethnographic interviews, several patterns emerged:
Interviewees mentioned that speaking in a specific dialect or using certain phrases immediately signals belonging to a particular group or region.
They described switching between languages or dialects depending on the social situation. This showed that language is not just about communication but also about navigating social identity.
Some interviewees felt that speaking in a particular language or accent allowed them to express emotions or cultural pride that might be difficult in another language.
How about you Danielle? What are your thoughts and opinions on language and identity?

Danielle:
For my Mini Ethnographic Project, I interviewed two people: Max, who speaks Spanish at work, and Ryan, who learned French from a very young age. Their experiences helped me see how language becomes part of someone’s identity in different ways.
Max first learned Spanish in school, but it didn’t really become important to him until he started using it every day with his coworkers who don’t speak English. He told me that real conversations at work taught him more than any textbook ever did. He also switches between English and Spanish depending on who he is talking to, which makes communication easier and more natural. Max said that practicing outside of class and not being afraid to make mistakes is what helped him improve the most. He believes teachers should give students more chances to use the language in real situations, not only on worksheets.
Ryan’s experience was different. He started learning French in kindergarten and continued all the way into college. Because he learned it so young, the language feels natural to him. He uses French with his family who also speaks it, and when he travels he uses it to communicate with people abroad. Ryan said that speaking and pronunciation were the most important parts of learning, and that having good teachers made a huge difference for him.
After talking to both of them, I realized that language shapes identity in many ways. For Max, Spanish became part of who he is because it supports his work and the relationships he builds. For Ryan, French has been part of his life for so long that it connects him to his family and gives him confidence when meeting new people. Both interviews showed me that the languages we use, and how we use them, play a big role in how we see ourselves.
How about you Nya, what are your thoughts on language and identity?

Nya:
It is prevalent how much language and culture can shape someone's identity. In my Mini Ethnographic Project 2, I interviewed two people, the first being my sister, Brianna, who learned ASL in college. While learning ASL, my sister also learned about Deaf culture; many people are unaware that Deaf culture exists and how important it is to the Deaf community. For hundreds of years Deaf people have faced oppression, particularly in schools because sign language was not allowed and they were forced to speak and read lips. Many Deaf people never even learned sign language, so throughout their lives they were forced to completely adhere to the norms of hearing people. As you can imagine learning sign language for the first time was life changing for these individuals and they were finally able to express themselves freely and without the struggle of reading lips and speaking verbally. Many members of the Deaf community became activists for Deaf culture and rights; this shows how much learning ASL and being a part of Deaf culture can shape someone’s identity.
My second interviewee was my boyfriend, Jared. Jared grew up speaking both English and Spanish; therefore, when Jared went to kindergarten he was under the impression that all the other kids were also bilingual like him. His own experiences with bilingualism led him to believe that the majority of kids were like him and when he realized that the other kids in class weren’t also bilingual he was shocked. Jared was also sent to ESL to learn English even though he was already fluent in English. This confused and upset him and his mom had to tell the school that he was in fact fluent in English already, he was just confused on when to speak in Spanish or English because he thought the other kids would understand him. Eventually due to the school system that favored monolingualism Jared felt that he wasn’t supposed to speak Spanish at school and his parents started speaking less Spanish at home. Now his main language is English; he can hold conversations in Spanish but he is not as proficient as he once was, which bothers him because he can sometimes feel disconnected from other Spanish speakers. As you can see this experience did somewhat shape Jared’s identity today because at times he may feel inadequate. But, in this case it shows how a lack of language can shape someone’s identity.
Madi, what are your experiences with language and identity?

Madi: I conducted interviews with two multilingual individuals for my project: Lola, my neighbor, who speaks Spanish as a second language, and Julia, my mother, who speaks Russian as her native language. Their stories made it easier for me to see how language and many of the sociolinguistic ideas we've studied this semester are related to identity.
Growing up, my mother acquired Russian via language socialization at home—just conversing with her own family. Russian has always been a part of her identity. She usually uses it at home, which is where she feels most connected to her heritage. But she acquired something very personal to me: she speaks Russian with a heavy American accent, which some people criticize. That experience made me reflect on linguistic ideologies, specifically the assumption that there is only one "correct" accent and pronunciation. Instead than viewing her accent as a flaw, my mother believes it symbolizes a part of who she is today.
Lola's experience was different. She picked up Spanish at school, but said that her more improvement came from her community, such as interacting with her native speakers and going to Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish became important to her through actual people, not grammar practice. Both my mother and Lola frequently utilize translanguaging. My mother combines English and Russian whenever a term is easier in one language. When the discussion becomes tricky, Lola will frequently begin the sentence in Spanish and end it in English. Instead of viewing this as a failure, our course taught me that translanguaging is a necessary part of using your home language to convey meaning.
I came to the conclusion that language and identity have a relationship after completing these interviews. The languages we acquire later, our accents, and our combination all reflect who we are!
Conclusion(Karen):
Ultimately, who we are when we speak is a dynamic combination of our personal experiences, cultural background, and social environment. Language is not just a reflection of identity, it actively shapes it. The words we choose, the way we speak, and the languages we use all serve as a mirror of our complex selves.