Diversity and Difference: Identity Issues of Chinese Heritage Language Learners

Abstract

The goal of this study is to explore the identity constructions of Chinese heritage language students from dialect backgrounds. Their experiences in learning Mandarin as a “heritage” language—even though it is spoken neither at home nor in their immediate communities—highlight how identities are produced, processed, and practiced in our postmodern world. Based on 64 interviews with Mandarin learners from various Chinese dialect backgrounds, we present their identity issues in three conceptual categories: imagined community, linguistic hegemony, and language investment. The findings lead us to rethink our pedagogical emphasis to better attend to the concerns of the dialect speakers, and hopefully, to make a contribution to the fast emerging field of Chinese heritage language development.