Language/Literature paper by Lugossy, Réka
From Both Inside and Ouside: Transylvanian Hungarians Reimagining Themselves through Language (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
In the Hungarian imagination, the term Transylvania tends to carry a nostalgic and mythologized connotation. Along with this, the ethno-linguistic minority we refer to as ”erdélyi magyarok” (Transylvanian Hungarians) is often imagined from the outside as rather homogeneous and static when it comes to their social and linguistic identities. Yet, empirical data collected through narrative interviews reveal a far more complex and dynamic picture of perceived cultural memberships and language practices. The paper will discuss the preliminary findings of a longitudinal study focusing on a small group of Transylvanian Hungarians living in Hungary. Drawing on Bruner’s work on narrative identity construction (1987) and on Anderston’s construct of imagined community (1983), the study explores how participants perceive and define themselves as members of multiple communities through narratives, and how their personal and collective identities are negotiated through linguistic practices across contexts. It also looks into how different languages (Hungarian and Romanian) may gain symbolic value and inspire resistance or resilience depending on the social and political context. Participants were selected through convenience sampling by involving the author’s friends (the author herself also being a Transylvanian Hungarian now living in Hungary). Data were collected through qualitative processes. (1) Field notes documenting the author’s own experiences and observations were used to generate research questions and to get an emic perspective; (2) narrative interviews were used to gain insights into participants’ memories and reflections on their changing identities.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Réka Lugossy is an Associate Professor in English Applied Linguistics at the Institute of English Studies, University of Pécs. She started her career as a teacher of English and Romanian in Transylvania (Romania). Since then she has published mainly on the role of narratives and picture books in children’s cognitive, emotional, and linguistic development, on young learners’ bilingual education, and on teachers’cognition.