Vietnamese is my mother tongue, and English is my second language. In my own experience, I feel like I change my personality when I switch between these two languages. I don't approach this post with evidence-based knowledge. I tend to use my sense, but I hope I can bring you guys some new perspectives about the connection between languages and personalities.
1, I feel comfortable and courteous; and I have a little sense of humor when I speak Vietnamese
Vietnamese is my native language. I understand this language almost 100% in most cases, including in complicated and humorous situations. That's why I always feel comfy and can reproduce my sense of humor in my language. Besides, in Vietnamese culture, parents bring their children up to be polite and respect older people. We must address people correctly. It reminds me of being courteous when using Vietnamese. It's not like in America, where people use "you and I" for everyone in most cases.
2, I feel confident, free, and independent when I speak English
I don't speak English fluently, but I can use English independently in four skills, including listening, reading, speaking, and writing. I've learned English through movies, music, TV series, books, etc. I feel like I've not only learned English words but also American culture. Being affected by American culture creates my personality when speaking English: confident, free, and independent.
3, The same factors in speaking Vietnamese and English
The first thing I don't change when speaking different languages is operating my ideas clearly. At the end of the day, the meaning of language is communication. No matter what language you speak, you must make people understand you. That's why being coherent is so important in every language.
The next factor is thinking in the language I speak. For instance, when I speak English, I'll think in English. I don't filter my thoughts from Vietnamese to English in most cases. That makes me totally feel English and shapes my personality in English.
To sum up, languages deeply connect with personality because people use language to show themselves. Languages also reflect cultures and people shape cultures. Each culture has its values, and these values once again affect people's thoughts and personalities. In my case, It's so fun to experience a slight change in my own personality when speaking Vietnamese and English. How about you? Do you feel the same way as me? I love hearing from you.
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