‘The more languages you know, the better you are’: learners’ pride in being multilingual and their motivation for language learning

Abstract

The role of positive emotions in language learning has received considerable attention in recent years. However, research in applied linguistics has predominantly focused on enjoyment, leaving other emotions, such as pride, largely unexplored. While research in general education has linked pride to motivation and achievement, its role in language learning remains unclear. This qualitative interview study addresses these gaps by exploring 31 students' experiences of pride in relation to multilingualism and the relationship between pride and language learning motivation. Participants were drawn from three Austrian secondary schools: one in a rural area where German is typically used at home, and two in urban areas with a high proportion of learners with migrant backgrounds and thus characterised by high linguistic and cultural diversity. The results revealed two distinct categories of pride: pride in relation to specific languages and pride in being multilingual. The former stemmed from learners' sense of achievement in language use, while the latter was shaped by their perceived identity as multilingual individuals. The findings also revealed the complex interrelationships between pride and motivation, suggesting the key role of learners' beliefs about plurilingualism and exposure to linguistic diversity as mediating factors in this relationship.