Language and Ethnicity

Introduction

To discuss ethnicity and why it is important in the present day world, one must first have a suitable understanding of the word. Paramount to the concept of ethnicity are ideas about "race” and "culture”. Ethnicity is a concept that involves ideas about differentiating people through their beliefs, rituals, and general patterns of living. The word ethnicity is indeed one that has had a precarious history but in taking on board its weight and a clear understanding of it, much about society can be learned. Discussions about ethnicity often deal with the concepts of ethnic revival, ethnic conflict (new racism) and ethnocentrism.

Language is defined as any body which can be written, spoken, or otherwise communicated between individuals and/or groups. Taking this definition into account, language is not specific to human beings.

Discussion

To first answer the question of how ethnicity is significant today one must have a solid definition of what ethnicity is, and more specifically what ethnicity is not. Some researchers point out that an ethnic group is an assemblage of persons who share standards of behaviour and form a bigger part of a population. Stafford (pp.56-70) note that it is important to make a distinction between "race” and "ethnicity”. They suggest that the word race is highly contentious and state that it implies that groups are naturally formed from biological characteristics. Stafford (pp.56-70) are inclined to support a definition that considers ethnic groups to be formed socially and culturally, not by science. Cultural or social traits that form an ethnic identity can be Religion, language, dress, food, music and beliefs. From a sociological perspective, the bottom line is that to define a group by solely by their genetic make-up, whilst ignoring "cultural” factors is both dubious and ambiguous. Such an ideology (that people are grouped by race) is commonly rejected.

Itagaki (65-70) suggests that early sociologists thought that the term "ethnicity” was unsuited to the constantly changing world; and those ethnic groups would dissipate over time. Smith claims that the opposite is true. "Ethnic revival” is the hearty convalescence of ethnicity in society today. The term is essentially the concept that over time ethnicity has been fluctuating, and that the world is currently at a time when ethnicity is on the rise like no other, hence "revival”. Itagaki (65-70) also believes that the world is "plural”, or made up of many parts (as opposed to a homogenous society). It is incorrect, or at least inappropriate to use the term "˜nation-state' in this day-in-age. There are few (if any) pure nations and most are pluralist. Where nations have multiple ethnicities, interethnic conflict may be a fact of life. To prove this point, Eriksen (pp.25-30) lists forty-three examples of interethnic hostility (i.e. Chinese conflict with Tibetans). In nations where pluralism occurs, ethnic separatism also occurs and people assert their cultural differences (this enhances solidarity within an ethnic group and distances themselves from other ethnic groups); this can lead to some acrimonious problems.

One of these problems is what is referred ...