National Language Identity and Ethnic Language Identity

Language has the dual functions as a tool of communication and the identity of ethnic culture.In a multi-ethnic society or country,its common language bears more the function of social communication while the languages of minority groups bear more the function of cultural identity.Thus,the common language and minority languages are interdependent in terms of instrumental and cultural identity.Among different minority languages,there are privileged languages,the dominant languages,and different language environments,and there are also differences in the identity of ethnic languages.