Education paper by Fekete, Adrienn
“What Does Being „Magyar” Mean to You?” A Case Study of Three Hungarian English Speakers on Being Hungarian and Speaking English (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Post-structuralist research into second language acquisition (SLA) and identity looks at multilingual speakers in their entirety and complexity and perceives SLA as a transformative, meaningful, and often, life-changing experience irrespective of language proficiency levels and exam results (Fekete, 2020a, 2020b, 2021; Kramsch, 2009). Since culture is a product of a speech community, language and culture are intertwined in SLA (Kramsch, 1998), resulting in linguistic and cultural identity responses in multilingual speakers (Fekete, 2020a, 2020b). Furthermore, exposure to a new culture during sojourn also triggers linguistic and cultural identity responses in multilingual expatriates (Sussmann, 2002).
This case study examines three Hungarian English speakers’ linguistic and cultural identity construction drawing on their linguistic autobiographies. One participant has lived in the U.S.A. speaking English with native speakers, one participant has been a sojourner in Sweden and used English as a lingua franca (ELF) in an international community, and the third participant has only learnt English as a foreign language (EFL) in Hungary. Data were collected from English majors as a course requirement at the University of Pécs in Hungary. Qualitative content analysis was carried out to shed light on the participants’ identity responses to being Hungarian and speaking English as a Hungarian.
The data pointed out that the participants’ Hungarian identity construction became salient by learning and speaking English in various contexts, resulting in differing identity responses. The findings pointed out various facets of speaking EFL and ELF as well as the participants’ integrative motivation (Gardner, 1985) and international posture (Yashima, 2009) to learn English. Furthermore, the findings pinpoint that language cannot be separated from the person speaking the language, nor can it be isolated from the context in which the person uses the language, which calls for a holistic, ecological view of SLA. Finally, the findings confirmed that Sussmann’s (2002) identity model of the sojourn is applicable in the context of SLA, since culture is an inherent part of language.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Adrienn Fekete
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1805-2426
Adrienn Fekete is a senior assistant professor at the University of Pécs and holds a PhD degree in English Applied Linguistics and Teaching TESOL/TEFL. Her research interests include linguistic and cultural identity construction in second language acquisition, the language learner’s individual differences, and the study of complex dynamic systems theory in SLA and education. Her courses focus on intercultural communication, individual differences in SLA, research methodology, teaching methodology, educational drama, and translation studies.