Acceso usuarios
Yunfeng Xu, Rongyan Liu
This study investigates the identity construction of 202 Malagasy undergraduates using a mixed-methods research approach. It analyzes the core characteristics of this multilingual group and the factors influencing their identity. The findings reveal that Malagasy multilinguals hold positive multilingual beliefs and maintain optimistic expectations for their future selves. As they navigate their place in the world, they exhibit a high degree of openness to multilingualism, actively engage in social interactions, and express a strong aspiration for economic advancement, which further confirms the dynamic and socially constructed nature of identity. This research reinforces the intrinsic link between language learning and identity, suggesting that language acquisition not only fulfills multilinguals’ communicative needs but also enriches their cultural experiences while generating opportunities and resources that, in turn, enhance learners’ interest and motivation. This study illuminates the multifaceted and continuous nature of the relationship between language and identity, offering new insights into identity construction among African multilinguals, an underexplored group.
