Influence of English Language on the Cultural Identity of Learners

The current research endeavored to find out the influence of English language learning on the Cultural Identity of Pakistani secondary school students. For purpose of investigation, 60 students of secondary level from private schools were selected for the data collection. A questionnaire consisting of close-ended questions was delivered to the participants to be filled in; the study had applied a quantitative method for data analysis. The result indicates that learning the English language has both positive and negative effects on student's Cultural Identity (CI). Learning the English Language is important, being the language of technology and lingua franca. But language never comes alone; it comes with its culture. The school students are getting affected by Western culture. This study has significant implications for further research work in this area.


Introduction
For hundreds of years, anthropologists and linguists are studying the effect of language on culture, as well as how language influences society. The existence of the culture in different communities is always supported by the specific means of communication of people, i.e. langue and language. Language is a set of symbols used primarily for communication purposes. Language does not end in the meaning or use of culture-related words. Words themselves represent history, beliefs, the culture of their origin which is partly acquired and mostly inherited and also learned to be used properly in relevant situations. The relationship between language and culture is undetermined and deeply rooted. Language is used to communicate culture and to maintain cultural links. Norton in 2000 said that the language learners use the language for conversation and communication, but in fact, the language learning is influencing their viewpoint about the world also (Anbreen, 2014).
Different researches are available to investigate the impact of ESL on learners in a non-native context, particularly in postcolonial cultures where English is taught as a second or third language. The English language is commonly accepted as an international language and it is essential to get aware of its use. To learn English as a second language, it is important to understand the culture in which the language is born. Language and culture are often said to be two inseparable elements of society one might believe that language is nothing without culture and a language, there is no culture. It is a fact that language is not an individual expression" but a social and cultural phenomenon". A man adopts the culture of a society, its modes of thought and action through language, their convictions, and values. "Through his membership of society and his occupation of social roles, human beings become a personality" (Nawaz, 2012, p.7).

Research Objectives
The main objectives of this study are: i.
To investigate the effects of Cultural Identity (CI) of students due to the increasing demand for English Language (EL). ii.
To determine the linguistics patterns which affect students" Cultural Identity (CI). iii.
To explore the influence of EL on the perception of students CI?

Data Analysis
The questionnaire used consisted of closed-ended questions. The analysis of statistical data is presented in the form of tables for each item in the questionnaire. These tables show the sample responses percentages, frequencies, and cumulative percentages.  Table 2 depicts that 75% of students mostly prefer to wear pant shirts and 25% of students prefer to wear shalwar/kameez. 60 100% 67% of students believe that learning EL (English language) affects their CL (cultural identity), 33% of students believe that learning EL (English language) has not affected their CL (cultural identity). 100% 53% of students find both PC (Pakistani culture) and WC (western culture) appealing, while 27% of students find PC (Pakistani culture) and 20% find WC (western culture) more appealing.

Table 7
English language pronunciation affects native language (Urdu) pronunciation Frequency Percentage Yes 24 40% No 36 60% Total 60 100% 56% of students disagree that their Urdu pronunciation is affected due to their English pronunciation while 44% of students agree that their Urdu pronunciation is being affected due to their English pronunciation. Table 8 Studying English changed opinion about the western world Frequency Percentage Yes 21 44% No 39 56% Total 60 100% 56% of students agreed that learning EL (English language) has changed their opinion about the western world while 44% of students don"t agree that learning English has changed their opinion about the western world. 100 % 68% of students believe that speaking English makes they look more modern and stylish while 32% of students do not think that speaking English makes they look stylish or modern.

Conclusions
After inspecting all the results of this study, the surveys, it can without much of a stretch be inferred that the viewpoints and perspectives of the learners have been firmly influenced by their insight into the EL (English language). It appears to be that when they begin finding out increasingly English, the measure of data accessible to them consistently changes. This has allowed them the occasion to get familiar with the world and increment their insight. Before starting the discussion about language and its relation with students, we need to discuss student's attitudes first. Pakistan nowadays is growing towards learning the English language. Since the beginning youngsters are pushed by their folks towards learning the English language, similar to the English language is their lone key to progress. Such weight towards learning English has led to a profoundly mechanical, test-based assessment of progress in language learning. This sort of demeanor towards the English language, which runs over unmistakably is the outcomes gotten through the polls. The English language is viewed as an instrument towards a superior future; better positions, more cash gaining, or conceivably moving to another country. The instrumental disposition towards the English language is exhibited by the witnesses of this investigation while responding to an inquiry that managed the normal impacts of learning the English language on their lives. Lifestyle integral shows everyone's standard of living. Every Pakistani citizen has a different way of living. They speak different languages; dress up following their culture and the variety of food makes them unique to others. According to the survey, 60% of secondary school students prefer the Pakistani lifestyle and 40% of the secondary school students prefer the western lifestyle. So, the western lifestyle is also getting popularity but still, most secondary level students prefer the Eastern way of living.

Influence of English Language on the Cultural ………………………..…Ajmal, Ajmal & Ahmed __________________________________________________________________________________
Dressing means the act of how one dresses him/herself (Reference). Dressing is of two types (informal dressing) or outside (formal dressing). The data analysis clarifies that 75% of students prefer wearing pant shirt on daily basis and 25% of students prefer wearing shalwar kameez. So, a majority of students prefer the western style of clothing. 50% of students like to eat fast food and 33 % Pakistani food and 17% Chinese food. So it means students have been influenced by the western food.
Reading is a good habit for students; reading is a great habit for everyone especially for students because it broadens their knowledge and skills. 80% of students like to read English novels and 17 % like to read Urdu novels and 3% do not read novels. Pakistan is very rich in literature and history but the majority of students nowadays do not like to read Urdu literature.
The result of the study indicates that 27% of students feel western culture looks more appealing to them while 20% like PC (Pakistani culture) and 53% find both western and PC (Pakistani culture) appealing.
Pronunciation is how a word or language is spoken. The data analysis signifies that 40% of students feel that due to learning EL (English language) their native language pronunciation is being affected and 60% feel that leaning EL (English language) is not affecting their native language pronunciation. The differences are not that big between the two opinions but still, students feel that EL (English language) is affecting their native language pronunciation.
Students want to learn about the WC (western culture) as a part of their EL (English language) course. 72% of students say that they want to learn WC (western culture) while learning EL (English language) and 28% do not want to learn WC (western culture) as a part of learning EL (English language).
People usually think in that language in which they are fluent. 92% of students say that they build their thoughts in Urdu and then speak in English and 8% of students think in English and then speak in English. Most people talk in Urdu at their homes in Pakistan as it is the national language. So students feel confident about the Urdu language. English language is a must in private sector schools and students have to speak it but do they prefer to speak English in their casual or informal meetings. 70% of students always speak English in their causal or informal meetings, 21% of students never use the English language and 9% of the students sometimes prefer speaking English in their casual or informal meetings.

Discussion
Through the communicative process, English Language has brought about an enormous cultural interlink in the modern age along with the role of the educational system it hinges on it almost the entire world. It thus puts relative importance in the cycle of globalization and social integration. Interaction style has significantly accelerated the exchange of world cultures ideas and knowledge. The global era has made communication means much easier and social homogenization much greater. It has globalized countries that process their cultural affiliation by spreading languages and most notably, by defining in the process the hegemony of English. While being criticized for the contradictions that arise due to diversity or being blamed for devaluing other cultural norms and practices, it has a major impact on cultural homogenization in the context of combining knowledge, ideas, and cultures through the effect of information and communication systems, whether digital or actual or vice versa. Therefore, the era of globalization has greatly enhanced the English language's position and its effect on culture, allowing people to come closer to establishing cultural homogenization across boundaries in the diverse set of different cultural backgrounds.
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. It carries our emotions, ethics, and cultural values. But to lose one's cultural values cannot be heroic in any sense. Kachru (1986), believe that "the English language is a tool of power, domination and elitist identity…'' (Ashcroft, 1995, p. 291).
The results of this study allow the researcher to conclude that learning EL (English language) has both negative and positive effects on the learners and the same has been expressed by (Li, 2020). If you want to talk to someone from another country, you're likely to learn the EL (English Language). At the point when kids first join the school, they accompany their local societies, yet the vast majority of them would have overlooked their local language and culture when they leave school which is mentioned by Seidlhofer (2005). Youngsters invest the vast majority of their energy in school and English is the official language for second language understudies specifically. The way that their local dialects are not permitted to be utilized in schools makes it hard for them to comprehend their noteworthiness. The view of the local dialects is negative to the point that the understudies take a gander at it in a corrupting and troublesome manner.

Recommendations
As language is what contains culture; there is no identity for a person without a language. The learning of EL (English Language) has therefore contributed greatly to the loss of the second English language acquirer"s CI (cultural identity). The teachers of the English language may make a deliberate effort to sensitive learners to minimize the effects of language on their identity.