After Study Abroad: The Maintenance of Multilingual Identity Among Anglophone Languages Graduates

Abstract

For L2 learners from English-dominant societies, study abroad (SA) is an especially significant opportunity for linguistic, sociocultural, and personal development. Less is known about the durability of these SA-related developments, once Anglophone language specialists complete their home studies and then progress to graduate careers. This article reports a study of 33 specialist languages graduates from a UK university, 3 years postgraduation, who had previously participated in a longitudinal study tracking their linguistic, social, and personal development through a 2-semester stay abroad. The follow-up study gathered further data on maintenance, development, or attrition of their principal SA-related second language (L2); on social and professional uses of L2 and other languages; and on attitudes and beliefs relating to language identity. Personal biographies and career pathways were documented through questionnaires and interviews. This article provides insights into the career entry and related ongoing development of linguistic identity among Anglophone languages graduates, including the ongoing impact of SA-related influences. Implications are briefly drawn for management of the SA experience and post-SA education, so as to support participants’ ambitions for interculturality and a full multilingual identity.