English-language attitudes and identities in Spain

Abstract

Language attitude research has increasingly focused on English-language learners’ evaluations of various accents and their ability to recognise them. However, little academic attention has been paid to the links between language attitudes and use, or language attitudes and identities. Contextualised within two Spanish universities, this chapter explores learners’ English-mediated identities via questionnaires and interviews, and the ways in which they negotiate possible selves within paired interactions. Quantitative data suggest that attitudes can predict use to some extent, but qualitative data provide much deeper insights into the negotiation of identity using rich sociolinguistic repertoires. The chapter concludes with some reflections on the nature of the relationship between language attitudes, language use and second-language identities.