Multilinguals' perceptions of feeling different when switching languages

Jean‐Marc Dewaele

169 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development

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Linguistic and Sociocultural Studies Multilingual Education and Policy Language and Culture

Abstract

Research into multilingualism and personality has shown that a majority of multilinguals report feeling different when they switch from one language to another. The present study looks at perceived shifts on five scales of feelings (feeling logical, serious, emotional, fake and different) in pair-wise comparisons between languages following the order of acquisition (L1/L2, L2/L3 and L3/L4). Participants were 106 adult multilinguals with a total of 31 different first languages. The results showed a systematic shift on most scales across the four languages, with participants feeling gradually less logical, less serious, less emotional and increasingly fake when using the L2, L3 and L4. Regression analyses showed that self-perceived proficiency was a significant predictor of shift on the feelings scales in the L3.

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References

2010Bilingual 2003Imagined Communities and Educational Possibilities: Introduction 2010Emotions in Multiple Languages 2010Bilingual: life and reality 2014Non-participation, imagined communities and the language classroom 2008The emotional weight of I love you in multilinguals’ languages 2004Do bilinguals have two personalities? A special case of cultural frame switching 2006Bilingual Minds

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