| dc.description.abstract | The terms identity and motivation, both previously thought to be fairly static traits of an
individual, have gone through re-conceptualizations where the ever-changing social context
and factors such as past experiences, expectations, ambitions and power relations have gained
significant appreciation. Both terms are presently understood as dynamic concepts whose
manifestations are socially and contextually dependent. Identity and language are widely
accepted as being closely related; identities can be explicitly communicated through language,
both orally and in writing, and specific language choices can be implicitly indexical of
identity traits such as socio-economic and ethnic origin, gender, or age. Within the field of
second language acquisition, motivation has long been an important factor. The present paper
seeks to investigate the relationship between identity and the motivation for language
learning, in the context of immigrant students learning English in Norwegian schools.
Specifically, the thesis looks at how informant identities, personal backgrounds, and societal
expectations have shaped their motivation for English language learning, and what effects
learning English had both in regard to the other languages in their linguistic repertoire, and in
the way they perceive themselves. Data were collected through recorded interviews with five
students that have immigrated to Norway from different countries, and who were enrolled in
English classes in a Norwegian school at the time of the interviews. The results reflect the
multifaceted and individual nature of both identity and motivation. Though the present data
set is too small to make extensive generalizations, the results indicate trends that concur with
previous research. English is widely regarded as an important skill due to its status as a lingua
franca, but majority of the participants reported prioritizing learning Norwegian given their
circumstances. Knowledge of the English language and the ability to partake in discussions
related to English media is regarded as an important skill for a typical teenager in Norway.
Multiple participants reported that English allowed them to access otherwise unavailable fora
and media, which in turn provided them with opportunities to grow as individuals and further
enhanced their motivation for their English language development.
Key words: identity, immigration, language learning, investment, motivation, agency,
social labels | |
