The construction of national identity as portrayed in contemporary irish fiction: An analysis of the butcher boy by Patrick McCabe

Abstract

Language seems to serve two main functions. On the one hand, it is an instrument of communication. On the other hand, it can constitute a means of asserting one´s identity or one´s distinctiveness from others. Language may be the ideal vehicle to express the unique character of a social group, as it can be a powerful marker of social identity, capable of binding or dividing groups and its salience may displace other identities (Dieckhoff, 2004 cited in Jaspal, 2009).