The effects of language on person perception: Heritage language and English on Chinese Americans

Abstract

Language not only facilitates communication but also constructs social identities through listeners' perceptions and language ideologies. This study examines how listeners perceive second-generation Chinese Americans when they switch between English and Mandarin Chinese. Using a matched-guise perception task, 22 advanced-level English-speaking learners of Mandarin evaluated speakers on attributes of friendliness, confidence, meticulousness, and rationality. Results showed that speakers were rated as significantly more friendly and confident when speaking English than when speaking Mandarin, while no significant differences were observed for meticulousness and rationality. These findings suggest that language choice influences perceived identity traits, with English aligning speakers more closely with dominant American cultural norms, while Mandarin indexes different cultural associations.