Negotiating a Plurilingual Self

A Qualitative Case Study

Jill ChiassonAmerican University

Georgetown Graduate Student Conference 2015

Introduction

In our current age of globalization, characterized by greater transnational flows, identities are no longer bound by a particular language or culture

Researcher calls for the need to abandon historically monolingual orientation to language education, research and practice (Blommaert, et al., 2005; Canagarajah, 2009; Marshall & Moore, 2013)

Plurilingualism: reconceptualizing multilingualism(Canagarajah, 2009; Marshall & Moore, 2013; Taylor & Snoddon, 2013)

Researcher’s personal experience: plurilingual identity but not ownership?

Theoretical FrameworkLanguage, Identity & Ownership

Construct of identity (Norton, 1997)

Poststructuralist view of identity

unstable, dynamic, multiple, potential site of conflict, socially constructed and negotiated

Positioning as identity in process (Davies & Harré, 1990)

Ownership as legitimacy (Norton, 1997; Higgins, 2003)

Guiding Research Question

How do plurilingual speakers negotiate their linguistic identities

and claim linguistic ownership?

Methods

Narrative approach

Narratives can reveal deeper issues of people’s beliefs, experiences and identity (Bell, 2002; Higgins & Sandhu, 2014; Norton & Early, 2011)

Influenced by narrative inquiry: narratives are the means by which identities are fashioned (McKinney & Giorgis, 2009)

1 case study participant: “Sarah”

Researcher positionality

Co-constructor and “insider” status, makes narrative analysis inherently messy

Data CollectionInitial written prompt

“Please describe your experiences as a speaker of several languages”

Semi-structured interview

Impromptu post-interview conversation

Data Analysis: Positioning Relative to a Monolingual Point of Reference

Underlying View: Languages are separate systems, subject to native speaker norms, and advanced proficiency (complete facility) is the goal of language learning.

Sarah initially positioned herself as an English speaker who also spoke some other languages

Described never achieving “fluency” in an L2, and detailed experience of mixing up French and Spanish when “not focused”

Framed her language skills in terms of her professional resume, with “basic” Spanish and Chinese, and “intermediate” French.

Data Analysis: Positioning Relative to a Plurilingual Point of Reference

Underlying View: Languages work together to form a complex repertoire, and balanced or advanced proficiency among languages does not need to be achieved, nor is it the goal of language learning.

As Sarah spoke about her experiences in France and more notably China, she repositioned herself as a speaker of multiple languages of varying degrees.

Her repositioning enabled her to discursively construct an emergent plurilingual identity

Data sample: Analysis of pronoun use

English speaker—> English/Chinese speaker—>English/Chinese/French speaker (“translator” position)

Repositioning in Action: A Narrative of China

“…when I got on the bus I was just by myself…and these three women in full traditional ethnic Chinese costume get on the bus and they were curious about me, and they were like, oh, that’s where we live and whatever, and… ‘we’re going to guide you in’ because the old way to get to these villages was to do this ridiculous hike…so I went along with them, and they helped carry my backpack…so we finally get into the little village, and there were these French tourists there, and I think we were on a bridge when we met them, and they were looking at the [Chinese women’s] embroideries, and they were skeptical, you know, are these done by hand really…”

“…so I was like in this crazy conversation with the French asking these questions…and I was kind of relaying these questions back to these [Chinese] women, who, Mandarin was their second or third language probably too, so it was this fascinating exchange, and it was like straight from French into Chinese…I just remember walking away at the end of that [interaction] and thinking, how did that happen? It was kind of mind-blowing!…yes [I thought all my languages were working together], it was one of those moments where I thought, this is why I spent all this time learning languages! It was cool…”

Findings: Identity Negotiation

Shifting her point of reference as a language speaker facilitated negotiation of Sarah’s linguistic identity

Positioning relative to a monolingual point of reference vs. plurilingual point of reference

Not a strict dichotomy— fluid continuum between the two

Shifting to a plurilingual point of reference enabled construction of an emergent plurilingual identity, of which Sarah began to become self-aware.

Findings: Ownership (in brief)Parameters of legitimacy (facilitating ownership) not static, but relative to point of reference as a language speaker.

Shifting to a plurilingual point of reference positively affected Sarah’s ability and willingness to claim linguistic ownership of her multiple languages.

Initially Sarah would not describe herself as a Chinese speaker, and only as a “rusty” French speaker.

Through her narrative, and most notably when reflecting on her experience in China, she shifted to describing herself as both a French speaker and a Chinese speaker “in that moment.”

By the end of the interview, Sarah’s awareness of her own emergent plurilingual identity gave her greater confidence vis-a-vis her own language abilities, and empowered her as a plurilingual speaker.

Conclusions

Linguistic identity and ownership are complex, dynamic, fluid and potentially conflicting.

Shifting from a monolingual to a plurilingual point of reference as a language speaker facilitated Sarah’s repositioning as a plurilingual, and enabled her to claim ownership.

The narrative process helped Sarah reframe her view of her own language skills in a positive way.

ImplicationsWhile difficult to generalize a single case study, a few general implications can be drawn:

Narrative can offer a powerful and therapeutic platform for identity negotiation.

Reframing L2 learners’ view of their own competence (shifting to “competent plurilingual”) could have a powerful effect on their language learning and investment

Practical Application:Suggestions for the L2 Classroom

Incorporate reflective journals that allow students to write in multiple languages

Incorporate a narrative assignment or digital story about students’ experiences as speakers of multiple languages— and let students direct their own narrative

Include reflective assignments exploring what students think it means to “speak” a language (generally), or what it means to speak their L1, L2, or multiple languages, and/or use this topic for class discussion

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References

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Wee, L. (2002). When English is not a mother tongue: Linguistic ownership and the Eurasian community in Singapore. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 23(4), 282-295.

References (cont.)

contact: jill.chiasson@gmail.com

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