There was a line in Menocal, on page 74, that reflects well on the connection of language and identity: “Alvarus could not quite bring himself to say aloud what he knew to be true: how thin the line might be between the seduction of a vital secular culture, of a language alive and powerful enough to speak to God and to a man’s beloved, and the religion to which such a language and culture were so intimately tied.” This line emphasizes the role of language in culture, how it was strong enough to sway people away from the cultural identity that they were born into. The Christians of Spain who were drawn to the Arabic language developed a new identity, called Mozarabics. This identity formed largely around the language and the culture that the language built. At the same time, however, shared language does not necessitate shared identity. Identity is larger than that, shown by the fact that Mozarabic and Muslim remained separate identities, despite sharing language and aspects of culture with one another.
Language’s role in identity can also be seen among the Jews of Spain, whose identity and culture were revitalized by the influence of Arabic language and culture. The use of Arabic in poetry and literature inspired a new use of Hebrew for the same purposes, creating a new identity and culture for Spanish Jews. Language and the ways that it is used change the way that people can communicate and express, and forms of expression factor strongly in people’s identities.
