Does Speaking Another Language Change your Personality?

By Cindy Correa – Sr. Brand Strategist at Orci

I feel like a different person when I speak in Spanish then when I speak in English.

Being a child raised in both Latin America and the U.S., both languages have always been a central part of my life and my identity. Spanish ruled my life during my early, formative years, while English was at the forefront during my later, school years. It wasn’t always easy or as simple as it is now to switch from Spanish to English. As a young child, I would commonly mix Spanish and English to form new words like “glasso” (glass in English and vaso in Spanish) or start my sentence in Spanish only to finish it in English.

But one thing that has always been clear is that Spanish is the language of home, of family, of love. English is the language I learned outside of the home, taught to me by others. As a result, my Spanish self has always been more passionate, more spontaneous, more earnest, and more alive. Spanish is the language that comes more natural when I’m overcome by excitement and emotions, good and bad. Of course, it helps that my husband is Spanish preferred and as passionate as they come. My English self, on the other hand, is more reserved, but more precise, articulate and eloquent. English is comfortable and stable and where I find my voice. I can feel my personality shift as I switch between languages. I even think my voice (tonality and pitch) changes accordingly. Yep, approach me at your own risk…LOL! I imagine this to be the case for many in the U.S. given that approximately 65% of U.S. Latinos are bilingual.

As an advertising strategic planner with a focus on the U.S. Hispanic market, it’s important to understand how to best connect with our consumer, and language isn’t the only factor to consider. But advertisers need to know that Spanish-language ads resonate stronger than English-language ads, even among bilingual Hispanics. According to a study conducted by Nielsen, Univision, and SMG Multicultural last year called “The Bilingual Brain: Maximizing Ads for Hispanic Millennials, advertising in Spanish offers the biggest benefit regardless of the programming language. This is especially true in ads that depict emotional moments, intense experiences (think fútbol), and social interactions. Your Spanish-language campaigns are bound to elicit a stronger, emotionally engaging reaction that touches the heart of your consumer. I imagine it’s like listening to a song that brings back good memories and makes you feel really good, except that with Spanish language, it’s reaching deep down into your very self, who you are, where you come from.

It really boils down to being aware and understanding the bilingual mindset. Awareness of who we are as a multicultural, bilingual person in the U.S. Awareness of the worlds we move in, and the worlds that move us.