• ISSN: 2382-6282 (Print); 2972-3108 (Online)
    • Abbreviated Title: Int. J. Lang. Lit. Linguist.
    • Frequency: Bimonthly
    • DOI: 10.18178/IJLLL
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HOME > Archives > 2024 > Volume 10 Number 3 (2024) >
IJLLL 2024 Vol.10(3): 263-268
DOI: 10.18178/IJLLL.2024.10.3.523

The Interplay of Identity Construction and Motivational Development in Chinese Heritage Language Learning: Confrontation between Individual Agency and Hegemonic Social Discourse

Haifeng Li
University of Manchester, UK
Email: haifeng.li-3@student.manchester.ac.uk

Manuscript received December 12, 2023; revised January 18, 2024; accepted February 3, 2024; published May 14, 2024

Abstract—This study explores the intricate relationship between identity construction and motivational development in Chinese Heritage Language (CHL) learners. Drawing on the narratives of three CHL learners in the UK, the research employs a post-structuralist perspective and the Heritage Language Identity Development Model (HLIDM) to analyze the dynamic interplay of personal histories, spatial contexts, and relational experiences in shaping learners’ identities and motivations. The findings underscore the pivotal role of accepting one’s Chinese identity in shaping motivations to learn CHL. However, this acceptance is not passive but emerges from active societal participation and the exercise of individual agency. The study also highlights the significant influence of societal hegemonic discourses, particularly those related to authenticity, which can impact learners’ motivations negatively. The research concludes by emphasizing the need for a more inclusive understanding of Chinese identity and a challenge to dominant discourses on authenticity to support effective CHL learning.

Keywords—Chinese heritage language; second language acquisition, motivation and identity, identity development

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Cite:Haifeng Li, "The Interplay of Identity Construction and Motivational Development in Chinese Heritage Language Learning: Confrontation between Individual Agency and Hegemonic Social Discourse," International Journal of Languages, Literature and Linguistics, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 263-268, 2024.

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