Language and national identity. Applications of Hofstede’s dimensions

Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (Hofstede 2001; 2003) have recently been utilized for linguistic research based on the notion of national identity. Since an overview of such research is still lacking, the present paper aims to illustrate, first, how the model was applied and, secondly, to examine the correlations set forth between the cultural dimensions and language in diverse genres. Results indicate that the model was used as a predictive and as an explanatory device of communicative and micro-linguistic features in cross-linguistic studies and in English as a lingua franca. The synthesis of the correlations between the dimensions and languages offered in the paper will hopefully throw new light on the interplay between language and culture and sustain further research.