Identity and Language

Abstract

Language is an important marker of identity. Guided by social identity theory and using a grounded theory approach, this study examined how languages are chosen and shape experiences in the workplace. Results suggest that language use is influenced by both external (norms, business needs) and internal (identity, language comfort) processes. Furthermore, speaking Spanish in the workplace has both positive (inclusion, camaraderie) and negative effects (exclusion, harassment, discrimination), with many more negative effects reported by our participants. Speaking Spanish appears to mark the speaker as an outsider. Together, our results indicate that language use is an important choice, personally and professionally, for employees and plays an important role in the way individuals are treated in the workplace.

Social Integration of Immigrants within the Linguistically Diverse Workplace: A Systematic Review

“…They found that language plays an important role in the way immigrants are treated in the workplace and concluded that Hispanic employees faced exclusion, harassment and discrimination if they spoke Spanish at the workplace. They also suggested that speaking Spanish appeared to mark the speaker as an outsider (Bergman et al, 2008). Similarly, Lønsmann's (2014) study of international employees, who were experts in their fields e.g.…”

“…However, some studies also traced other factors such as racial discrimination and ethnicity based stereotyping as contributing to social exclusion of immigrants, particularly in case of those belonging to visible minority. For instance, Bergman et al (2008) related weak local language skills to social exclusion, harassment and discrimination. But, they also suggested that appearance and ethnicity based maltreatment are also important to understand the phenomenon.…”

“…Three of these studies had both native as well as second language speakers of the local languages. Bergman et al, (2008) studied native and second language speakers of Spanish and English, Lønsmann's study (2014) included native and second language speakers of Danish and English, and Colic-Peisker & Hlavac (2014) had native and second language speakers of English. Four of these studies concluded that language plays an important role in social integration of second language speakers.…”

“…In another study, Bergman et al (2008) examined the workplace communicative practices of Hispanic employees in an American workplace. They found that language plays an important role in the way immigrants are treated in the workplace and concluded that Hispanic employees faced exclusion, harassment and discrimination if they spoke Spanish at the workplace.…”

“…The majority of research efforts to date are directed at diagnosing the adverse effects of language barriers on the organizations (Feely & Harzing, 2003;MarschanPiekkari et al, 1999a) and its members (Bergman et al, 2008;Boyd & Cao, 2009Charles & MarschanPiekkari, 2002) while simultaneously looking for measures to mitigate such barriers through staffing and training (Gibson & Hodgetts, 1991;Luo & Shenkar, 2006;Von Glinow, 1988). However, the existing literature provides an incomplete understanding of the social aspects of communicative practices emerging between the mainstream employees, who are the native speakers of the local language, and the immigrant employees, who are not the native speakers of the local language, within a linguistically diverse workplace.…”