Is Ruby pass by reference or by value?

@user.update_languages(params[:language][:language1], 
                       params[:language][:language2], 
                       params[:language][:language3])
lang_errors = @user.errors
logger.debug "--------------------LANG_ERRORS----------101-------------" 
                + lang_errors.full_messages.inspect

if params[:user]
  @user.state = params[:user][:state]
  success = success & @user.save
end
logger.debug "--------------------LANG_ERRORS-------------102----------" 
                + lang_errors.full_messages.inspect

if lang_errors.full_messages.empty?

@user object adds errors to the lang_errors variable in the update_lanugages method.
when I perform a save on the @user object I lose the errors that were initially stored in the lang_errors variable.

Though what I am attempting to do would be more of a hack (which does not seem to be working). I would like to understand why the variable values are washed out. I understand pass by reference so I would like to know how the value can be held in that variable without being washed out.