“Malays Are Expected To Speak Malay”: Community Ideologies, Language Use and the Negotiation of Identities

Abstract

This article seeks to explore adult second language learning beyond the classroom as a process of identity negotiation, and a struggle for participation, acceptance, and legitimacy in multiple communities to which learners belong or aspire to belong. Drawing on constructivism to conceptualize language learning and notions of identity, the study examines the first-person narratives of Malay learners of English in Malaysia gleaned from journals and focus group discussions. By triangulating the various sources of data, the analysis brings together speakers' perspectives and the realities of local contexts to arrive at a more interpretive understanding of how they navigate their way through conflicting ideologies, vie for acceptance in the various communities, and strive to construct a bilingual self. The article concludes by considering the interplay between community ideology, language use, and identity and how an informed understanding of this can help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real world experiences.