Multilingual identity development in a trilingual setting: A case study of refugee identity and language use
Abstract
This case study explores Turkish–English-Arabic multilingual identity sequentially and simultaneously constructed by two refugee siblings raised by their multilingual mother in the family environment where they interact in English and Arabic while they are exposed to Turkish in societal surroundings. By focusing on the multilingualism experiences of a 7-year-old boy and a 10 –year old girl, the study aimed to explore the multilingualism of the children practising their languages. The study is filling the void of refugee children identity and language development under scrutiny via data triangulation, consisting of field notes of the researcher, a metaphor questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest multilingual identity development is a way socialization and achieving success in their host country. The study offers implications for multilingual child-raising in refugee setting offering the simultaneous use of the language repertoire of children fostering their interlanguage development, results in better awareness and improved use of the languages.
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