When Pain Speaks: Unpacking Intercultural Identity in Language

Hey there! So, I’ve been diving into some fascinating research lately, and it got me thinking about something pretty fundamental: how we talk about pain. You know, that universal human experience? We all feel it, but how we express it? Well, that’s a whole different ballgame, deeply tangled up with who we are and where we come from.

I stumbled upon this cool study looking at Iranian folks learning English (EFL learners) and how they describe pain, comparing their English expressions to their native Persian. It’s not just about finding the right words; it’s about how language, culture, and that ever-evolving thing we call ‘intercultural identity’ all mash together when we’re hurting.

Why This Matters (More Than You Think!)

Okay, so why bother studying how people express a headache or a heartache in different languages? Turns out, it’s super important! Understanding these nuances can make a huge difference in places like:

• Healthcare: Imagine trying to tell a doctor how much something hurts, but the words just don’t feel right in the language you’re using. If healthcare providers understand cultural differences in pain expression, they can offer way more empathetic and effective care.
• Education: For language teachers, knowing that expressing emotions is tied to cultural context can totally change how they teach. It’s not just grammar; it’s helping learners authentically express their whole selves.
• Social Integration: When we respect and understand the different ways people from various backgrounds express emotions, it helps build bridges and makes everyone feel more included.

Identity: It’s Complicated (and Fluid!)

The study kicks off by talking about cultural identity – that core sense of self tied to a group’s shared worldview. But here’s the twist: in our multicultural world, people are often juggling multiple identities. They’re like cultural chameleons, blending their heritage with new norms. This is where ‘intercultural identity’ comes in – it’s not fixed; it’s adaptive and transformative, especially for language learners navigating new cultural waters.

Expressing emotions, including pain, is a big part of this journey. While lots of research looks at emotion and identity, or language learning and identity, this study zeroes in on that less-explored connection: pain and *intercultural* identity, specifically comparing English and Persian.

Pain: More Than Just a Feeling

We often think of pain as purely physical, right? An “ouch” or an “ache.” But the research reminds us that pain is a ‘biopsychosocial phenomenon.’ That means biology, psychology, *and* social/cultural factors all play a role in how we perceive, experience, and express it. Culture, in particular, is a huge player. Think about it – some cultures might value stoicism (keeping a stiff upper lip), while others might encourage more open expressions of discomfort.

The study highlights that while the *sensation* threshold (when you first feel something) might be similar across cultures, the *pain* threshold (when it starts to hurt) and *pain tolerance* (how much you can stand) can vary significantly, influenced by cultural norms.

English and Persian are fascinating languages to compare here. Persian, with its deep literary history, often uses rich metaphors and emotional resonance. English, on the other hand, is often seen as more direct and precise. How does this difference play out when someone is trying to articulate something as raw and personal as pain?

Getting Down to Business: How They Studied It

So, how did they figure all this out? The researchers chatted with 20 Iranian EFL learners, aged 15-30, who were upper-intermediate to advanced in English. They used a qualitative approach, meaning they focused on understanding the *why* and *how* through in-depth exploration, rather than just counting things.

They used a cool technique called triangulation, which basically means using multiple methods to get a well-rounded view. They used:

• Structured Expression Prompts: Giving participants scenarios (like a headache or losing a loved one) and asking them to describe the pain in both English and Persian.
• Open-Ended Questions: Asking broader questions about how culture and emotion influence their pain expression and how they feel using English vs. Persian.
• Metaphor Completion Tasks: Asking participants to finish sentences describing pain using metaphors in both languages (e.g., “Sharp pain is like…”).

They analyzed all this rich data using thematic analysis, looking for patterns and recurring ideas across the participants’ responses.

What They Found: Three Big Themes

After sifting through everything, three main themes popped out, showing just how intertwined pain expression and intercultural identity are for these learners:

Intensity of Pain and Linguistic Identity

This was a big one. Participants often found Persian much richer and more emotionally resonant for describing intense pain, especially using metaphors. Remember Maryam’s headache? In Persian, her head was “about to explode” (“سرم داره منفجر میشه”), but in English, it was just a “terrible headache.” Leila described sharp pain in English as “Stabbing pain, it’s suddenly and instantly,” but in Persian, it was “Intense pain is like an endless loneliness because you have no one to lean on” (“درد شدید مثل یه تنهایی بی پایانه چون کسی رو نداری که بهش تکیه کنی”). See the difference? The Persian expressions often carried a deeper emotional or existential weight.

This richness in Persian made many feel more “settled” or comfortable expressing deep pain in their native language. As Shila put it, her word range felt “somewhat limited” in English for this kind of expression. Sina felt that Persian expressions “just pop into my head” during intense moments, and he didn’t feel “as relieved” using English.

BUT (and this is where the intercultural identity gets interesting), some participants leaned towards English for different reasons. Sara loved the variety of adjectives in English (“abhorrent,” “dreadful,” “unpleasant”), feeling more comfortable and descriptive using them. Diana found English useful for precision, especially for medical terms, feeling “a sense of comfort and ease.” And Ali? He sometimes preferred English for privacy, so “not everyone will understand what I’m talking about.” These examples show how learners strategically adopt different linguistic identities depending on the context and what they want to achieve with their communication.

(Inter)cultural Resonance of Pain

Pain expression isn’t just about the words; it’s about the history and culture embedded in those words. Participants recognized that language, culture, and history are deeply connected. As Zahra noted, “language comes from your culture and history; therefore, they are so much related.”

They shared regional expressions (like Hamid’s examples from Shiraz) and metaphors rooted in Persian literature and culture (like Mohsen’s “bird freed from its cage” metaphor for relief, echoing Rumi or Hafez). Kiyana observed a cultural difference in framing pain: in Persian, it’s often seen as something external happening *to* you, while in English, it can feel more like something you brought *upon* yourself.

This cultural depth in Persian sometimes led to hesitation when using English. Shirin felt unsure if her cultural words and metaphors would be understood, leading her to use more general English phrases like “I have a headache” without being able to convey the specific *feeling*. She missed the empathy and shared understanding she felt when talking about pain in Persian. Sahar also felt that some Persian words “hit me harder” emotionally than their English equivalents.

Yet, the influence goes both ways. Samaneh used a metaphor (“pain of separation is akin to heartache”) that connects with English literary traditions (Shakespeare, anyone?). Zeynab used an early modern English idiom (“calm before the storm”). This shows how learning a language isn’t just acquiring vocabulary; it’s engaging with its cultural and historical baggage. Interestingly, Zeynab also found that sometimes she could express pain *more deeply* in her second language, suggesting English offered new avenues for expression she didn’t have in Persian.

Pain as an Interlanguage Tool for Negotiating Identity

This theme really highlights the dynamic way learners use language to navigate their identities. Some participants preferred English for its brevity and directness. Narges liked that she didn’t need to “whine so much” and could summarize her pain in “like two words.” Reactions to sudden pain in English were often concise exclamations (“Ouchh f*cking hell,” “Oh, f*ck,” “Damn it,” “Ow, bloody hell”).

Beyond brevity, some felt more comfortable and “less shy” expressing pain in English. One participant attributed this to being more around English speakers, but the study suggests it’s also a strategic adaptation – adopting a less shy identity in English contexts. They felt a sense of ease and openness in English that wasn’t always there in Persian.

Farzaneh even mentioned reading that expressing feelings in another language can make people feel “less pain,” making English easier for her. This points to how the second language can become a space for exploring different facets of identity and emotional expression.

Code-switching (mixing English and Persian) was also common, like “اینم شانس ما—God damn it” (“This is our luck—God damn it”). This isn’t just about filling linguistic gaps; it’s a powerful act of identity construction, showing how learners fluidly move between cultural and linguistic spaces, aligning with different norms depending on the moment.

Interestingly, Diana felt “quite similar regardless of the language used,” suggesting a strong sense of identity coherence across both languages. Gelareh was “more open” about mental pain in English but her initial reaction to physical pain depended on her mood – sometimes Persian, sometimes English. This shows the flexibility and situational nature of how linguistic identities play out in emotional expression.

So, What’s the Takeaway?

This study really highlights that for Iranian EFL learners, expressing pain isn’t a simple translation task. It’s deeply tied to their evolving intercultural identities. Persian offers a rich, metaphorical landscape for emotional depth, reflecting cultural history. English provides precision, brevity, and sometimes a sense of distance or privacy that can make expressing certain pains feel easier or less vulnerable.

Learners aren’t just switching languages; they’re navigating different emotional and cultural frameworks. Their comfort, hesitation, use of metaphors, and even code-switching are all part of constructing and expressing their dynamic identities across linguistic boundaries.

The findings resonate with other research showing how emotions, beliefs, and identity are interconnected in language learning. But this study adds a unique layer by focusing on pain and showing how learners strategically use language not just to communicate, but to manage their emotions and shape how they present themselves in different cultural contexts. Code-switching, in this light, becomes a conscious act of aligning with a target culture, a step towards integration and identity transformation.

Of course, like any study, this one has its limits. It looked at a specific group (Iranian EFL learners) and a relatively small number of participants (20). While the in-depth qualitative data is super valuable, it means we can’t necessarily generalize these findings to everyone. It would be fascinating to see how pain expression varies even *within* Iran across different regions and languages!

But overall, this research gives us a powerful reminder: language is more than just words. It’s a vessel for culture, emotion, and identity. And understanding how people express something as fundamental as pain across languages can open doors to better communication, empathy, and inclusion in our increasingly interconnected world.

Source: Springer