Forced to Learn Languages, Students Face Identity Crisis?!

Technological advancements in the era of globalization have increasingly required students to master multiple languages to compete in the digital world. Foreign languages, such as English, are often seen as the key to success in education and careers. In fact, some schools have started making other foreign languages like French, German, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and others to increase students' skill international languages.

In sociality, students have to adjust their language, especially when in a foreign region, to adapt and be accepted within the group. For example, when a student moving from Sulawesi to West Java. They will likely learn Sundanese in both school and friendship area. This can be very beneficial as it helps students understand and appreciate different cultures, especially when it comes to improving communication and interaction in daily social life. However, this rule in social and school not always lead to positive outcomes. The risk usually lead to forgetting their true language, potentially leading to an identity crisis and having a thought about, "Who am I?".

According to Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the "Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis," a person's language structure affects how they think and understand the world. Sapir and Whorf argue that language doesn't just reflect reality but also shapes our experiences and perceptions of the world. If so, what happens to someone who is fluent in multiple languages? How do they think about social interaction? Do they have 1,001 ways of seeing and acting in sociality?

Mastering many foreign and local languages can undoubtedly enrich a person's experiences, thoughts, and perceptions. In a questionnaire I asked to 27 randomly selected students, 26 of them chose the option that they adjust their language when in different places. They believe this is an effective way to create a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere. 

However, we can't ignore the problems and dilemmas that have been feeling by the students. There are a few challenges faced by students who are mastering in multiple languages:

Identity Crisis

Learning and speaking a new language, especially an international language, can provide a certain psychological pride, particularly when it comes to English. People feel like more confident when speaking in English rather than in their own language. The identity crisis appears when someone feels more comfortable with foreign cultures and perspectives. This can be particularly harmful for students who should be love and pride to their national language and showing it to international or other countries.

The Chameleon Effect Phenomenon

The chameleon effect refers to the phenomenon where someone being a copy cat, especially in communication or interaction. These individuals tend to mimic the style, tone, and language of others because they are able to speak and adapt to certain conditions. This can be positive but also negative at the same time. I  questionnaire, 22 out of 27 students felt like a chameleon blending in with its environment. They realized that every time they used a different language, their behavior also changed. As a result, they felt as though they were losing their own identity.

Cultural Alienation

Cultural alienation refers to the phenomenon where individuals begin to feel separated or alienated from their original culture or community. This can occur due to several factors, such as migration. When someone moves to a new place, they will learn and adopt the new culture, which over time they started to forgetting their original culture slowly. A similar thing happens with language; students who move away to continue their education, either to a different city or country. They will learn a new language and adopt different ways of thinking and perspectives. And it'll be bad when they can't manage that and started to forgetting their language.

Although learning languages may cause an identity crisis for some students, the process also offers valuable opportunities for growth and self-development. When students learn a new language, they not only adapt to different environments but also develop the ability to understand and appreciate perspectives. This process allows them to form deeper connections with others or friends and enrich their life experience. The challenges that appears from learning a new language should be seen as an essential step towards building a stronger and more comprehensive identity. 

Therefore, actions from the teachers and parents itself such as guidance, supervision, and education can serve and help as initial steps for advancing language learning in education, making students can master multiple languages without losing or forgetting with their culture and personal identity.