Investigating the construction of multilingual identity: The case of Pakistani learners of Chinese language in Lahore

Abstract

This research aims to inquire how a multilingual learner in Lahore redefines identity while learning the Chinese Language. Despite the growing interest in learning the Chinese language due to economic benefits, limited research has aimed to identify the impact of learning Chinese on the identity of the participants. To achieve the aim, a qualitative research design was employed. The focus group interviews were conducted with purposefully selected 2 focus groups having 3 males and 3 females, participants of the Chinese language learning course.  Thematic analysis was done to identify an in-depth understanding of underlying common patterns. With use of various learning strategies inside the classes, the findings indicate a significant relation of the construction between the local and target culture. Nonetheless, another distinct view resurfaced is how learning Chinese, a language of commerce and power, can instil a sense of superiority in the identity. Future studies may greatly benefit from planning further research with Pakistani immigrants learning the Chinese Language in China.