A narrative inquiry of a Chinese international student’s language experiences and identities in a multilingual university in Germany

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study employs a narrative inquiry approach to explore the language experiences and identity formation of an international student from China within a multilingual university in Germany. Drawing on the poststructuralist theory of identity, critical ethnographic sociolinguistic (CES) studies, and language ideologies, the study reveals that her language practices and identity construction evolve across diverse contexts. Her narratives also highlight the significant mediating role of language ideologies in shaping her situated identity construction and language practices, including the relationship between English proficiency and L1 speakers of English, English as a lingua franca (ELF), the association between language and ethnicity, as well as the relationship between German proficiency and the local/foreign student separation. This study advances our comprehension of the intricate interplay between identity formation, language practices and different language ideologies as they manifest in the lived experiences of international students amidst the backdrop of multilingualism.