Week 1: How does language contribute to a culture's identity?

Greetings travelers, 

or shall i say हेल्लो, meaning “hello” in the ancient Sanskrit tongue. 

My adventure begins with discovering the roots of language itself and its manipulation and transformation over the years into the roughly 6,000 languages spoken, studied, and taught worldwide today. I believed it to be beneficial to have some historical background with regards to language, as the study of the Silk Road is contingent on different cultures and the language of such cultures. However, a question which continually stood out in my mind was how does language contribute to a culture’s identity? 

Language, like religion, is constantly evolving, constantly adapting, and constantly growing. David Crystal states that:  “Literacy is often introduced into a community by the spread of a religion” (Crystal, 388). This, to me, shows how language and religion are almost interdependent to one another, acting as twin forces in their sustainability. In order to spread religion you must use language, either through word of mouth or scripture, and through that spread of religion a new language is introduced to a new culture.  Language also provides an outlet for religious teachings through its sacred texts and preachings. Some ideas, however, are limited to the words used to express them, as similar values can be drastically altered when expressed in different languages. Overall, I believe that the main string connecting language and its contribution to a culture's identity is the fact that language is the main thing with which we can understand each other through, and therefore the main thing with which our culture is founded upon. 

Tune in next week as I continue my adventure along the Silk Road.

Yours truly,

~ A.V