Bicultural bilinguals: Juggling languages, shifting ‘personalities’, destroying barriers

Abstract

Purpose and research questions: Despite the amount of existing work about bilingualism and some interesting studies about biculturalism, research somehow lacks interest in considering these two aspects as one big reality, bicultural bilingualism. The aim of this article is to bridge the gap between the linguistic and the cultural components that build bicultural bilinguals and to show the importance of taking into account these two components together to have a complete understanding of the mechanisms that underlie bicultural bilinguals. Key concepts such as the Foreign Language Effect and Bicultural Identity Integration are explored to highlight how language and culture interplay in shaping identity and behaviour. Methodology: By examining the literature on language-dependent frame-switching and the integration of cultural identities, this article highlights the unique characteristics of bicultural bilinguals that differentiate them from both monocultural bilinguals and monolingual biculturals Findings and conclusions: Bicultural bilinguals are not merely the aggregation of different languages and different cultures. They possess a unique identity that sets them apart from monocultural bilinguals and monolingual biculturals. Significance: This article is among the first to analyse bicultural bilingualism as a unified phenomenon, emphasizing the need to consider both linguistic and cultural dimensions. The findings of this analysis have broader implications for psychology, sociolinguistics, and cultural studies.

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