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Polyglot Identities Cultural Negotiations, Linguistic Ties and Social Belongings of Avid Language Learners

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Polyglot Identities Cultural Negotiations, Linguistic Ties and Social Belongings of Avid Language Learners Polyglot Identities Cultural Negotiations, Linguistic Ties and Social Belongings of Avid Language Learners Laia Herlevi Master’s Thesis University of Helsinki Faculty of Arts Area and Cultural Studies European Line of Study November 2020 Tiedekunta – Fakultet – Faculty Koulutusohjelma – Utbildningsprogram – Degree Programme Humanistinen tiedekunta Alue- ja kulttuurintutkimuksen maisteriohjelma Opintosuunta – Studieinriktning – Study Track Euroopan kulttuurit Tekijä – Författare – Author Laia Herlevi Työn nimi – Arbetets titel – Title Polyglot Identities: Cultural Negotiations, Linguistic Ties and Social Belongings of Avid Language Learners Työn laji – Arbetets art – Level Aika – Datum – Month and Sivumäärä– Sidoantal – Number of pages year Pro gradu -tutkielma Marraskuu 2020 100 + liitteet Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract Globalisaatio on lisännyt kulttuurienvälisiä kohtaamisia: ihmiset liikkuvat enemmän ja media ulottuu aina vain laajemmalle. Tämä globaali kehitys on myös laajentanut mahdollisuuksia kielten oppimiseen. Ilmiönä polyglottius on voimistunut erityisesti internetissä. Tässä tutkielmassa tarkastellaan, miten nykyajan polyglotit neuvottelevat ja muovaavat identiteettejään erilaisissa kulttuurisissa ja yhteiskunnallisissa konteksteissa oppiessaan, käyttäessään ja harrastaessaan kieliä. Tavoitteena on ymmärtää, miten kiintymyssuhteet kieliin kietoutuvat polyglottien identiteetteihin. Keskeisenä teemana ovatkin polyglottien kielille antamat merkitykset sekä niiden kytkökset laajempiin sosiokulttuurisiin (valta)rakenteisiin. Tutkielmassa avataan polyglottien tunnetta kodista ja kuulumisesta johonkin globaalistuvassa maailmassa samoin kuin kielitaidon, -siteiden ja -tietoisuuden merkitystä näissä transnationaalisissa ja kulttuurienvälisissä kokemuksissa. Tutkielman aineisto koostuu 98 kyselyvastauksesta, jotka on kerätty kahdesta kirjoittajan laatimasta, Facebookin seitsemään polyglottiaiheiseen ryhmään lähettämästä kyselystä. Aineistoa eritellään ja merkityksellistetään temaattisen sisällönanalyysin keinoin sekä tulkitaan kulttuurintutkimukselle ominaisella monitieteellisellä otteella. Polyglotti-ilmiötä ja siihen liittyviä diskursseja käsitteellistetään ja kontekstualisoidaan. Tällainen kontekstualisoiva lähestymistapa mahdollistaa myös itse kieliin liittyvien asenteiden ja ideologioiden avaamisen. Polyglottius harrastuksena ja elämäntapana on saanut vauhtia erityisesti internetistä. Se perustuu kielten intohimoiseen ja omaehtoiseen oppimiseen ja yhdistää kulttuuritaustoiltaan erilaisia ihmisiä ympäri maailman. Polyglottien siteet niin ensimmäiseen kuin myöhemmin opittuihin kieliin ovat tunnelataukseltaan vaihtelevia ja moniulotteisia, jälkimmäiset usein äidinkieltä jännittävämpiä. Vaikka polyglottien kieli- ja kansallisuustausta, asuinpaikka sekä sosioekonominen asema vaihtelevat, heidän kielellisissä sitoumuksissaan ja tottumuksissaan on samanlaisia vuorovaikutuksellisia, performatiivisia ja narratiivisia piirteitä. Juuri identiteettinarratiivit tekevät kielellisistä kehityskuluista merkityksellisiä ja johdonmukaisia elämäntarinoita, joita polyglotit voivat halutessaan muotoilla uudelleen. Kielelliset investoinnit voivatkin tarjota polygloteille tuoreita ja usein mieluisampia identiteettivaihtoehtoja. Yksi tällainen on jo nimitys ”polyglotti”, joka herättää arvostusta ja erottaa heidät muista. Kiinnostus kieliin ja niiden osaaminen ylittävät kulttuurisia ja kansallisia rajoja, mikä heijastuu useiden polyglottien moninaisiin ja osin ristiriitaisiin kuulumisen tunteisiin verkottuneessa maailmassa. Useimmiten he kaipaavat ja pyrkivät poikkikielelliseen vuorovaikutukseen kansainvälisesti, paikallisesti tai virtuaalisesti. Kielitaito ja -siteet avartavat ja vahvistavat polyglottien globaalia tietoisuutta, joka on kasvualusta maailmankansalaisuudelle ja kulttuurienväliselle neuvottelulle. Avainsanat – Nyckelord – Keywords polyglotti, identiteetti, monikielisyys, kielisiteet, kulttuurienvälisyys, transnationaalisuus, kuuluminen Säilytyspaikka – Förvaringställe – Where deposited Keskustakampuksen kirjasto Muita tietoja – Övriga uppgifter – Additional information Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research questions and concepts ............................................................ 2 1.3 Materials and methods ............................................................................. 5 1.4 Earlier research ........................................................................................ 9 2 Polyglots’ identity negotiations ................................................................... 11 2.1 Identity and self-image .......................................................................... 11 2.2 Prestige and privilege? .......................................................................... 20 3 Linguistic attachments and detachments ..................................................... 34 3.1 Ambivalent first language ..................................................................... 34 3.2 Second language ties ............................................................................. 47 3.3 Relationships and communication ......................................................... 61 4 Polyglots’ global perspectives ..................................................................... 71 4.1 Transnational belongings ...................................................................... 71 4.2 Cultural brokering and bridge-building ................................................. 81 5 Polyglot passions, pursuits, and practices ................................................... 93 Bibliography ...................................................................................................... 97 Appendix .......................................................................................................... 102 1 Introduction 1.1 Background Representative of our age, globalization has become a reality in part through the heightened spread of “ideas, goods, information, capital and people” across the world (Held 2010: 28–29). As national borders have become more easily transcended for some, the scope of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic diversity seems more tangible than ever. Cross-cultural encounters between people in the fields of work, study, trade, and tourism have indeed multiplied due to this relative freedom of mobility. As migration and worldwide travel have increased, foreign languages have also become more accessible. Skills in and usage of more than one language are at present the standard across the globe, further rising in value following ongoing global developments (Bhatia & Ritchie 2013: xxi). This enhanced cross-border mobility of various kinds renders multilingualism more usual and more greatly esteemed (Sobanski 2016: 161). Indeed, linguistic competences continue to gain currency due to the continuous need for cultural exchange in the areas of work and leisure. On a global scale, transnational interactions have intensified also through the accelerated diffusion of information enabled by advancements in communication technologies. This fairly recent development has given rise to various forms of digital media, thus bringing an abundance of languages within our reach. In particular, the convenience of the internet has allowed avid language learners to pursue their linguistic aspirations with ease, as it has become more and more feasible not only to absorb oneself in foreign languages but also to interact and share experiences with like-minded people. In addition to varied learning materials, the internet provides a wide range of platforms for people to immerse themselves in different languages and cultures through music, movies, videos, podcasts, and so forth. By virtue of this online exposure to linguistic stimulation, attaining fluency in a language in adulthood has become increasingly achievable. In this spirit, polyglotism as a recreation is prone to becoming more common in the future. In my master’s thesis, I examine the identity negotiations of contemporary polyglots, namely how these avid language learners the world over construct their sense of self through linguistic pursuits and practices. Polyglots constitute a salient and timely research topic as a compelling sociocultural phenomenon in the midst of globalization, transcending linguistic and often 1 cultural boundaries in transnational interactions. These individuals’ linguistic attachments as well as their feelings of home and belonging lie at the core of this research. 1.2 Research questions and concepts As laid out above, this study concentrates on polyglotism as an avocation characterized by optional and zealous language learning. The focus is on the interconnections of language and identity in the experiences, emotions, values, and investments of contemporary polyglots who choose to actively acquire and develop their language skills. Firstly, I seek to investigate how these language learners from across the globe negotiate their identities through linguistic engagements. Secondly, I am concerned with the meanings polyglots assign to their first and second languages. Thirdly, I aspire to unearth how polyglots understand and relate to the notions of home and belonging in addition to drawing attention to the possible role that languages play in these perspectives. The foregoing research questions lay the
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