The reading, “Ingroups and Outgroups,” analyzes the different categories that place us in an ingroup or outgroup scenario. I found the emphasis on language as the most interesting defining category. I find it really easy to forget how much language influences our daily lives. Language is such a bonding force that groups hold onto. Speaking a language that is the primary language where you live places you at an advantage above people who do not speak that language, or who do not speak it as their first language.
In my psych class in high school, I learned about how for people who are multilingual, their personalities change based on what language they are speaking. In Spanish, they might be more outgoing while in French, they might be more shy. I wonder how those personality changes impacts someone’s ingroup/outgroup status.
In a society that is so heavily dominated by English, sometimes it is easy to forget that these boundaries exist. Both my grandparents are immigrants from Portugal and they speak very broken English, and because I do not know any Portuguese, most conversations with them are very similar. This, of course, creates a boundary between us (though I love them the same) but I can definitely see a difference in personality when they speak to my mother who also knows Portuguese.
I love your reference about different multilingual people having different personalities in each different language – this made me realize even when I speak basic French it is completely different than how I approach speaking basic English. This is a great point which definitely applies to professions which require a person to switch between languages.
I also really like your point about how people’s personalities can and often do change when they speak a different language. Since language is the way we communicate, I think the weight placed on language in defining in groups and out groups is warranted but it seems like a huge barrier. I think values and beliefs transcend language barriers but if a person cannot effectively communicate with those who share those values through words they could still be considered part of the outgroup even if they see themselves as part of the in-group.