Language, Culture and Identity: A Saudi Perspective in the Light of Stuart Hall Argument

Naif Daifullah Alsulami

(Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabi)

Abstract: There is little doubt that the world has become smaller and human interactions have increased exponentially. “Multilingual” and “multicultural” are common words today. All major cities in the world are cosmopolitan, characterized by the presence of different languages and cultures them. Moreover, the spread of technology has contributed to the process by enabling people to learn different languages and recognize other cultures. Against this backdrop, the interrelationship between language, identity and cultural difference is an important topic for cultural researchers and social theorists. The analysis of this relationship is interesting and developing into a complex field of study. Stuart Hall is a well-known and influential figure in social theory and has examined the relationship between language, identity and cultural difference. He argues that language, identity and cultural difference are closely connected (Hall, 1997). First, this paper seeks to provide a critical review of Stuart Hall’s efforts to define and explain these concepts. Then, the importance of and the relationship between language, identity and cultural difference is illustrated with an example from my life, the example is analyzed and interpreted in the light of Hall’s notion of representation. Finally, an important issue that Hall fails to address is discussed.

Key words: culture, identity, Stuart hall, international education